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7 
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HENRY PHIPPS, JR. 



Botanical Guide 



THROUGH THE 



PHIPPS CONSERVATORIES 



. I N 



Pittsburg and Allegheny. 






PREPARED BY 

GUSTAVE GUTTENBERG, 

teacher of biology, central high school, 

Pittsburg, Pa. 






Copyright 1894, 

BY 
GUSTAVE GUTTENBERG. 



ELECTROTYPED AND PRINTED BY 

Foster. Dick & Co., Pittsburg, Pa. 



CONTENTS. 



I. Buildings and Management. 
II. The Palm Houses. 

III. Foliage Plants. 

IV. Orchids. 

V. The Flowers. 

VI. Climbing Plants. 

VII. Aquatic Plants. 

VIII. Cacti. 

IX. Curios. 

X. Ferns. 

XI. Closing Remarks. 

The Guide. 

The Florists. 

The Parks. 

Proposed Extension of Schenley Park 
Conservatory. 

Botanical Gardens. 
XII. Alphabetical Index. 




A BEAUTIFUL MEMORIAL WINDOW EXECUTED BV 

PETGEN BROS. ART GLASS WORKS, 



LEADED 

STAINED AND MOSAIC GLASS OF EVERY 

DESCRIPTION, 

FOR CHURCHES AND DWELLINGS, 



OFFICE AND WORK8, 

Hamilton and Fifth Aves. E. E. 

Telephone East End, 326, 

PITTSBURGH, PA. 



PREFACE. 



SINCE the Conservatory in Allegheny Park was inaugurated, 
seven years ago, it has been visited by thousands every week ; 
and since the Schenley Park Conservatory has been thrown 
open to the public, it is visited by tens of thousands. Indeed the 
generous and public spirited citizen, Mr. Henry Phipps, Jr., to 
whom the two cities owe these institutions, may justly ieel gratified 
to see his gifts to the people so immediately and so universally appre- 
ciated. The fact that the two floral palaces have become so great 
favorites of the people, shows that the love of the beautiful is not 
wanting among them ; and this love is further fostered and developed 
by the floral feasts prepared with rare taste and skill by those who 
have charge of the institutions. 

The author of this little book has been a frequent and delighted 
visitor to the Conservatories, which offer such excellent chance to 
study the children of nature from the most favored climes of our 
earth. Many a time when he was taking notes about some rare or 
interesting specimen, he soon found himself surrounded by a group 
of visitors, from whose questions, guesses and suggestions, he noticed 
the eager desire to know something more than the name of the ad- 
mired plants. 

This fact and the wish to avail himself of the Conservatories, 
as a help in teaching his classes in Botany, induced the author to 
prepare this guide. He is under great obligations to the Superin- 
dents of the Conservatories and their assistants ; he had free access 
to the valuable library of Mr. Hamilton, as well as to the books of 
reference in Mr. Bennett's office. The assistants helped him in get- 
ting full lists of the plants and in making arrangements for photo- 
graphing groups of plants and single specimens. 



The books principally consulted for information were " Nichol- 
son's Dictionary," " The Treasury of Botany," 'Johnson's Gar- 
dener's Dictionary," and "Orchid Growers' Manual " 

As a first attempt in this direction, this book may have its short- 
comings ; the author will be glad to receive suggestions as to how it can 
be improved. Meanwhile this guide is sent out with the author's 
wish and hope that it may find favor with the public ; that it may 
increase the interest in the plants cultivated in the Conservatories, 
and in flower culture in general; that it may add to the delight in 
beauty, the pleasures which closer acquaintance gives. 

GUSTAVE GUTTENBERG. 
Pittsburg, Pa., May, 1894. 




THE PHIPPS CONSERVATORIES 



BUILDINGS . . 
and MANAGEMENT. 






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Plan of Allegheny Conservatory. 



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Allegheny Conservatory. 



IN 1886, Mr. Henry Phipps, Jr., of Allegheny, Pa., proposed 
to build, at his expense, a Conservatory in the \llegheny Parks, 
and to present it as a gift to the city, (if the latter would provide for 
its management, and under the condition that it should be open to 
the public on every day during the week, including Sundays.) This 
condition caused, at first, some opposition, but it was overcome, for- 
tunately, for experience has shown since, that the closing on Sundays 
would have shut out the very people for whose benefit the gift was 
principally intended — the working-men and their families, who now 
are crowding the Conservatory every Sabbath-day afternoons. 

A Committee, consisting of Mr. Wm. Hamilton, John Walker 
and O. P. Scaife, were appointed by Mr. Phipps to act as trustees. 
The foundations of the structure were laid in 1886, and the main 
buildings were finished in 1887 ; two years later the aquatic annex 
was added. The cost of the main buildings were $35,000, and of 
the aquatic annex $15,000. 

As soon as finished the Conservatory was stocked with many 
fine and rare plants, a number of citizens of Allegheny having sub- 
scribed to a fund for this purpose. The new institution thus hand- 
somely started, was placed in charge of Mr. William Hamilton, 
Superintendent of the Allegheny Parks. 

The buildings consist of a Palm House 40x120 feet; parallel 
with this is the Orchid House, which contains a large and fine collec- 
tion of Orchids, also Ferns and Pitcher Plants. Next to the Orchid 
house is a house for the care of the bedding plants, which are set out 
in Summer to adorn the Park. The last to the right is the Exhibi- 
tion house, where Mr. Hamilton arranges his fine displays of Chinese 
Primroses, Cinerarias, Calceolarias, Chrysanthemums, etc. To enter 
this house, the visitor has to pass the " Azalia corner," where for 
years a profusion of Azalias have greeted the visitor during part of 
April and May. To the left of the Palm House is the propagating 
house, where thousands of plants, intended for bedding or for exhibits 



4 
are reared from the seed or slips and cuttings. To the left of this 
are two more houses filled with Cacti, foliage plants and other tropical 
or so-called stove plants, such as Begonias, Dracaenas, Crotons, 
Euphorbias, and many others. The way to the last of these houses 
leads through an ante-room, where a group of Camelias is generally 
found, together with some Laurel trees, Agaves, Strelitzias and other 
plants. From the rear of the Palm house one enters into the Aqua- 
rium, where curious, interesting fish can be seen when the water hap- 
pens to be clear. Next we pass into the large Victoria Regia house, 
from which extend two side wings devoted to the rearing of rare 
aquatic plants. 

The dimensions of all of these houses can be found in the ad- 
joining plan. 

As mentioned above, the Conservatory is under the manage- 
ment of Mr. William Hamilton; his assistants are Mr, John Herron, 
foreman ; Mr. James C. Hamilton has charge of the Ochids ; Mr. 
John Small of the "Stove" plants, and Mr. William Gibbs of the 
Temperate houses. They all attend to their special duties with that 
love and devotion which characterizes the true gardener, who has 
made the care of plants his life calling. 




Do you \yi5k to Duy & Pi^no or Ur<^n f 

Or anything in the Musical line? We have beautiful 
Parlor Organs in Oak or Walnut, 

At $38, $45, $55, $75, &c. 

All fully warranted, for house, church or chapel use, and 
Upright Pianos of well known makes, 

At $200, $250, $275, $300, &c. 

We also have genuine Pipe Organs erected on salesroom 
floor, where you can see and hear them. In no other place 
in the city will you find such a selection of 

Pianos, Orgeats and. Musical InstnxrrLertts. 

Easy terms of payment will be made. It will pay you for your house, your 
churches and your schools to come in and see us or write to us for prices and 
terms. 




HFfllT@M 



9 



91 & 93 Fifth Ave. 



PITTSBURG, PA. 



YOU SHOULD 

Wtt. C. 3TIERER, OPTICIAN, 



Have a Microscope when you examine Flowers, 
Plants, etc., and see some of their hidden beauty. 
We have them from 25 cents and uowards. 




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PITTSBURG, PA. 



ESTABLISHED 1B72, 



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IB SEVENTH A1TENUE, 



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Telephone E. E. 25. 



Pittsburgh, fa. 




Areca and Fax Palms. 



Schenle\ Park Conservatory. 



IT was probably the great success which the establishment of the 
Conservatory in Allegheny had proved to be, and the popularity 
it enjoyed from the beginning, that prompted Mr. Phipps to make 
even a more generous offer to the city of Pittsburg. He offered to 
donate $100,000 towards the erection of a Conservatory in Schenley 
Park, and placed the matter into the hands of Mr. E. M. Bigelow, Chief 
ot Department of Public Works ; Mr. John Walker and Mr. O. P. 
Scaife. 

The offer was accepted by the city, and the people of Pittsburg 
enjoy to-day the possession of the largest and handsomest public 
Conservatory in this country, if not in the world. 

The plan of the building as it stands to-day can be seen in the 
adjoining illustration. The total frontage is 454 feet. The centre 
is occupied by a Palm House, 60 feet wide and 132 feet long, with an 
elegant domed roof 60 feet high ; to the right and left of this house 
are wings 30 feet wide by 104 feet long ; these are intended for so- 
called " stove " plants ; these in horticultural language, are plants which 
need a rather high temperature for their successful raising ; this tem- 
perature was in former times obtained by having a stove in the green- 
house. At present the necessary warmth is obtained much more 
conveniently and effectually by a steam heating apparatus. The 
unpoetic name of" stove house " or " stove plants " might therefore 
be now discarded and the attempt is made in this book to intro- 
duce instead, the name of" Tropical plants." 

At present the right wing contains fine collections of foliage 
plants, Begonias, Orchids and other flowering plants and Ferns. A 
part of a section in both wings is devoted to propagating purposes, 
and to see the tiny Gloxinias, Cyclamens, etc., start from the seed, 
and the Ferns from the " spawn," Begonias, Cacti, growing from a 
leaf placed upon the sand, the Coleus, Fuchsias, Mesembryanthe- 
mums and others, raised from slips, is not less interesting to many 
visitors than to see the plants in the glory of their bloom. 



IO 

The left wing contains now a collection of Cactus plants and a 
great mass of bedding plants tastefully interrupted by Passifioras, 
Aristolochias and other climbers or shrubby plants. Later this wing 
will be devoted to the culture of Orchids and other tropical plants. 

Each of these wings leads into an octagonal domed-roofed build- 
ing, 52 feet in diameter. The one adjoining the right or north-west- 
ern wing contains the famous Tree Ferns, Staghorn Ferns, Birds-nest 
and other Ferns and some Araucarias, the other, adjoining the left or 
south-eastern wing, contains the tank for the monstrous water plant 
Victoria Regia. From each end of the octagons again run two side- 
wings at right angles to the main wings, each of them is 84 feet long 
and 32 feet wide. The wings right and left from the Fern house are 
devoted to the floral exhibits which prove such an attractive part of 
the Conservatory. The wing to the left of the Victoria house is used 
at present as a nursery for the plants to be exhibited when their time 
for blooming arrives ; the other is arranged with cemented basins and 
metal tanks for the rearing of aquatic plants. 

In the front of the Palm house is a fire-proof building 32 feet 
long and 53 feet wide, divided into two parts, by the corridor. At 
the left of the entrance are the offices of the Superintendent and at 
the right the working rooms of the gardeners. The corridor is 
guarded by the huge and handsome dogs of so-called green marble, 
really Serpentine ; they are the work of an Italian sculptor, and have 
been presented by Mr. Phipps, who also donated the " Kneeling 
Venus," of white marble, who, in her verdant frame, is so greatly 
admired by the visitors. 

The Conservatory buildings cover an area of about 34,000 feet 
of ground. The glass surface is over 60,000 square feet. It is 
equipped throughout in the most practical and thorough manner, 
and has been called the finest example of horticultural architecture 
and construction to be found anywhere. The construction is iron 
throughout. The staging is all of slate and iron ; the ventilating 
apparatus is of the most approved type ; the glass the very best ; the 
walks throughout the house are cement. The heating is by means 
of steam, with boilers fitted to burn both coal and gas. The foun- 
dations are fine cut Amherst sand stone. The office building is of the 
same stone finely executed. Its interior is fitted with offices, work 
rooms, etc., and is finely finished. Underneath this building is a 
storeroom, coal storage space, and the steam boilers. Water is de- 
livered at every faucet, both cold and hot ; the ponds for lilies are 



II 

beated with jets of hot water from the water supply system. In fact 
nothing is omitted to make a model range of glass. 

This building, as well as the Conservatory in Allegheny, have 
been planned by the architects Lord & Burnham Co., of Irving-on- 
Hudson, and they were executed under their supervision. 

The Superintendent of the Pittsburg Public Parks, Mr. A. M. 
Bennett, is also Superintendent of this Conservatory. Mr. Bennett 
came here from Brooklyn, where he was Superintendent of Melrose 
Park ; he has also occupied a prominent position in the largest com- 
mercial nurseries on Long Island ; thus he came to his work here 
with valuable experience. Mr. Alf. J. Edmonds, his foreman, came 
from the U. S. Nurseries in New Jersey. The other assistants are 
Mr. Joseph Spring, in charge of the Palm house ; Mr. David Howells, 
department of Tropical Plants; Mr. Robt. Lunstrom, Ferns and exhibi- 
tion houses ; Mr. John Boyle, Cactus and miscellaneous ; Mr. Chas. 
Cook, Aquatics ; Mr. Wm. Frazer, Chrysanthemums ; Mr. Wm. God- 
dard, engineer; Mr. Robt. Fulton and Mr. J. M. Jones, general assist- 
ants. These gentleman have all been selected on account of their spe- 
cial fitness for their duties and the excellent order as well as the re- 
markable thrift in all departments, gives testimony to their efficiency. 

It proved very fortunate that the Schenley Park Conservatory 
was in shape for the reception of tropical plants just about the time 
of the close of the World's Fair, when many choice and rare plants, 
very difficult to obtain at other times and which had been sent to 
Chicago for exhibition, could be bought at a reasonable price. In 
order to take advantage of this opportunity Mr. E. M. Bigelow, who 
has the success of the Conservatory so much at heart, secured a fund, 
by subscription, from some liberal citizens with which to purchase a 
number of these plants. The unique collection of Tree Ferns, worth 
$5,000 was obtained in this way. Other private citizens made valu- 
able additions. Senator Wm. Flinn donated the large and varied 
collection known as the Drexel collection and worth over $3,000. 
Mrs. Carr contributed $1,000 worth of plants. Besides there were 
other welcome contributions from Mr. J. M. Armstrong, Mrs. Frew, 
Capt. J. J. Vandegrift, Robt. Craig, Mr. R. Gray and others. 



13 

Beckerts • Seed • Store, 

ALLEGHENY, PA. 

The most Complete and best Equipped Seed 

House in Western Penn'a. 

Headquarters for Lav^n. Flower and Garderi Seeds, 
Bulbs for Indoor and Outdoor Culture, 

CATALOGUES MAILED ON APPLICATION. GENERAL CATALOGUE ISSUED IN 
JANUARY. CATALOGUE OF BULBS ISSUED IN OCTOBER, ANNUALLY. 

W. C. BECKERT, Seedsman. 

19 FEDERAL STREET. 

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'4 



PURE- ARTIFICIAL -AND -LAKE -ICE 

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DISTILLED AND FILTERED WATER. 

n 

/gSr\ .y~L\ TRADE MARK. <ST7\ Ef 






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Artificial Ice Capacity, 350 Tons Daily. 

Principal Office, THIRTEENTH ™ PIKE STS, 
PITTSBURGH, PA. 




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Schenley Park Conservatory. (See page 34.) 



15 



EXPLANATION. 

The descriptive lists in the following parts contain the names of 
all the plants which the author has been able, with the help of the 
gardeners, to discover in the two Conservatories. 

The botonical names of the plants are given first ; there are 
always two names necessary to designate a plant botanically, the 
first, a noun, the " genus " name of the plant ; the second, the name 
of the " species," being either an adjective referring to some prop- 
erty of the plant, or the proper name of some person after whom the 
plant was named, or of some locality in which it is found. 

The popular names, as far as such exist or could be ascertained, 
are stated after the botanical name. Then follows the interpretation 
of the latter. The letter [a.] indicates that the plant exists in the 
Allegheny Conservatory ; [s.] refers to Schenley Park Conservatory. 

There will be, of course, from time to time, changes in the ar- 
rangement of plants in the different departments of the Conservato- 
ries. It would, therefore, be of little use to indicate the exact place 
where the various specimens named in the lists could be found at 
present. All of the more conspicuous and interesting plants are 
labelled, and it is the intention of the Superintendents to have aU. 
others labeled as fast as time and other pressing work will permit. 
This will enable the visitor to find whatever information this book 
offers concerning any specimen in the house. It is only necessary 
to find the name in the alphabetical index at the end of the book, 
and then turn to the page referred to. 



p— 



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The Palm Houses. 




Group of Palms. 

Latania Borbonica above, Areca lutescens and foliage plants below. 

Allegheny Conservatory 



The Palm Houses. 



NO part of either Conservatory represents tropical splendor and 
luxuriance more strikingly than the Palm houses. The Palm 
house at the Allegheny Conservatory has the advantage of age over 
its mate, or should we say its rival, at Schenley Park. In its overflow- 
ing thriftiness it shows the rich results of careful and competent 
management ; indeed the roof would have been too low and the 
space too narrow, had the plants been allowed to grow and spread 
at will ; constant trimming and removing is necessary to keep the 
tropical vegetation within bounds and to prevent it from obstructing 
the passage ways. At the Schenley Park Conservatory wonders 
have been worked in the short time since this building has been com- 
pleted. Artificial hills of calcareous tufa have been built, on the tops 
and sides of which palms and kindred plants have been installed, 
and they seem to feel quite at home in their new surroundings. In 
the little recesses, cracks and grottoes, formed by the tufa, Ferns, 
Selaginellas, Begonias, Peperomias, and other pretty plants are peep- 
ing out, and many other cunning devices help to make the scenery 
look charming in its details, natural and grand in its totality. 

But this is only the start ; ten years hence we expect the Palm 
house to represent the scene of a veritable tropical forest. The 
crowns of the Date Palms, Cocos and Seaforthias will reach far into 
the lofty dome of the crystal building ; the Latanias, Chamaerops, 
Bananas and Cycas will form a roof of verdure above the serpen- 
tining walks and the undergrowth of ferns and foliage plants will 
make the illusion almost complete. 

What rare pleasure to walk under the boughs of those grand 
and at the same time graceful plants. We might imagine to wander 
amid the Palm groves of India or through some forest on the Amazon. 

It is true, the gaudy butterflies of the torrid zone are missing ; 
the birds in gay plumage, the chattering monkeys would be needed 
to make the illusion even more complete, but we shall not complain, for 
on the other hand we have the advantage of enjoying this visit 



20 



to the tropics without having tormenting insects to contend with, nor 
venemous serpents to fear, or hostile savages to fight. 

Let us take a short, general view of the two palm houses, and 
then discuss the principal plants raised there, — the palms. 

Entering the palm house in 

Schenley Park Conservatory, 

We are at once confronted by a fine specimen of a fan palm, Lantania 
Borbonica, less imposing by its height than by its crown of immense 
leaves ; behind it we notice the peculiar fronds of the Caryota palm, 
reaching higher at present than its neighbors, the elegant Arecas. 
To the right is a clump of Rattan palms, and further on several high 
cones of dark green foliage, the true Laurel or Sweet Bay. 

The hills right and left are crowned by large Date Palms, the 
one on the right the date palm proper, the other to the left, the 
Spiny Date Palm. 

The wall of the office buildings and work-shops is covered with 
one of the most graceful and grateful of climbing plants, Solanum 
Seaforthianum, a relative of the potato, as its blossoms readily 
suggest. 

If we pass on to the right, our attention is attracted at the one 
hand by a fine specimen of Chamaerops humilis, and at the other by a 
graceful tree fern. The entrance to the right wing is guarded on 
each side by a large climbing plant Philodendron pertusum, (Mon- 
stera deliciosa) interesting on account of its perforated leaves. 

Farther on a Screw Pine (Pandanusj, supported by aerial roots, 
resembling clubs, is an object of general curiosity, not less so the 
Silver Thatch Palm, with its natural bandages of woven fibre. 

On each side of the western entrance, opposite the alligator 
pond, stands a fine specimen of the Abyssinian Banana. What beauti- 
ful scenic pictures they represent, standing on grotesquely formed 
banks of tufa, from the niches of which pretty ferns and foliage plants 
are peeping. 

Right near we have the " Monkey Puzzle," Araucaria imbricata, 
with its symmetrical branches and stout triangular leaves, which must 
make the climbing of this pine indeed a difficult task. 

Proceeding on our way, we admire the handsome Macrozamia, 
and walking between Fan palms, Cycads and Cabbage palms, we 
notice the odd Cocoloba, with its immense coppery leaves ; on the 



21 

right hand the " Little Coco," as the Theophrasta latifolia is some- 
times called, deserves notice ; it looks indeed like a small palm 
with its crown of large leaves on its slender trunk. 

Passing around the south-west side of the hill, a beautiful picture 
is presented by the Hanging Fern of the Himalayas, (Goniophlebium 
sub auriculatum), with its surrounding vegetation ; among which the 
Fan palm to the right of the walk, Sabal mauritiaeformis, is of special 
interest on account of its rarity. The unfolding of the two-ranked 
crown of leaves of the Traveler's tree in the opposite corner, will be 
watched with much interest. This tree had fared so badly on its 
journey from Madagascar, that at its arrival it had only a single leaf 
left. At the end of last March a second leaf unrolled itself, and others 
will soon follow. 

There are many other beautiful palms and interesting plants 
thriving finely in the palm house ; they will all be mentioned later 
on in systematic arrangement. 

In the 

Allegheny Conservatory 

We are also greeted at our entrance by a picturesque tropical scene. 
An immense climbing plant, Monstera deliciosa, with a multitude of 
serial roots and rich clusters of fruit, occupies the foreground ; be- 
hind it we imagine to look into a Banana grove, and indeed, many 
a bunch of delicious bananas has been raised there. Right and left 
are finely developed specimens of the Screw Pine, (Pandanus utilis,) 
and one of the grandest specimens of Cycas Circinalis can be seen in 
the left corner. The southern wall is densely clad with Clerodendron 
Balfourii, one of the handsomest climbing plants, quite gorgeous 
when unfolding its wealth of white and red blossoms. 

Following the path, we wander under the verdure of palms of 
many kinds, among which we find immense Fan palms and a majestic 
Seaforthia, the crown of which reaches to the glass roof of the 
building ; there are also Cocoanut, Cabbage palms and Date palms, 
intermingled with Carludovicas, Dragon trees, (Dracaena >, Arauca- 
rias, Bamboo and Rubber trees, among the latter the handsome, 
larged leafed Imperial Rubber tree, Ficus imperialis, should not be 
overlooked. 

The rarest specimen in this palm house is Zamia latifrons, which 
Mr. Hamilton discovered in the Horticultural Hall at the World's 
Fair. It is said to be the only plant of this kind in cultivation. 



22 



Among the foliage plants we notice fine Marantas and Dieffen- 
bachias ; but Curculigo recurvata, with its plaited leaf, seems to grow 
especially thrifty, and forms dense masses of rich verdure. 




Cycas circinalis (with 75 fronds) ; in front at the left, Pandanus utilis ; the wall 

at the left side is covered with Clerodendron Balfouri. 

Allegheny Conservatory. 



The Palhs. 



Linnaeus, the great botanist, calis the palms the Princes of the 
vegetable world, and Humboldt speaks of them as the tallest and 
noblest of all plant forms; the shafts of some specimens he measured 
himself, proved to be 180 feet in length. Their column-like un- 
branched stem, which often bears at its summit a crown of gigantic 
leaves, gives to these plants an aspect of graceful grandeur, and they 
lend to the scenery in which they naturally grow, a peculiar solemn 
charm. The palm is the tree of the tropics, and nourishes best 
where the annual average temperature dwells between 75-82 degrees 
F. S6me species, however, reach within the southern limits of the 
temperate zone. 

The flowers of most palms are rather inconspicuous and grow 
on a compound cluster or spadix, the branches of which resemble 
catkins ; they can often be seen on the specimens in the two palm 
houses. Besides, most palms are unisexual (diceceous,) having the 
male or staminate, and the female or pistillate flowers on different 
trees. They depend for their fertilization upon the wind ; insects 
may also assist. The pollen, of which some palms produce great 
masses, must often be carried to great distances to reach the pistils of 
the female plants. The fruit is generally one-seeded, rarely two- 
seeded ; otherwise very variable in size and appearance, from the large 
cocoanut to the small berry-like fruit of many smaller palms. 

The uses of palms are innumerable. In some countries these 
plants supply nearly all the wants of the natives, and they furnish, 
besides, many useful articles to the other parts of the world. We 
need only mention palm oil, wax, sugar, sago, soap, candles, articles 
of furniture and clothing and food ; millions of pounds of palm oil 
are produced annually in Africa, principally from Elais guineensis ; 
and millions of pounds of palm cane are worked annually into car- 
riages, chair bottoms, brooms and other articles ; not less is the con- 
sumption of palm fibre for floor mattings, cordage, bagging, coarse 
cloth, etc. In fact there is no other class of plants so universally 
useful as the palms. 



24 

A poem in the Tamil language mentions 801 uses of the Pal- 
myra palm (Borassus flabelliformis) which grows in southern Hin- 
dostan. 

There are nearly 1,200 species of palms known, many of these 
are described in " Seeman's Popular History of Palms." 

The palms can be conveniently divided into Fan-Palms or those 
who have palmately veined, lobed or compound leaves, the principal 
veins all radiating from one point, and.in Feather Palms which have 
pinnately compound leaves, consisting of a long midrib with usually 
numerous leaflets growing from its side. 

THE FAN PALMS. 

Bra'hea glau'ca, (named in honor of Tycho Brahe, the cele- 
brated astronomer ; glauca, covered with a bloom.) Native of Peru 
and the Andes. This palm attains a moderate height. Notice the 
stout spines and the leaf-stalk. [s.] 

Chamae'rops hu'milis, (from chamai, dwarf, and rhops, a twig, 
humilis, low.) This name has been given to this palm on account 
of its low growth in comparison with the lofty columns of the tropi- 
cal palms. This and the cabbage palm are the only species of palm 
growing native in southern Europe ; it does not extend further north 
than Nice. In Spain and northern Africa it is very common. Its 
trunk seldom grows higher than three or four feet, and sends up 
numerous suckers from its creeping roots, thus forming dense thick- 
ets which are hard to penetrate, especially on account of the prickly 
footstalks. Its fruit is about the size and shape of an olive. The 
leaves are used for making hats, brooms, baskets, also for thatching 
houses, and from their fibre the French make a material resembling 
horse hair. The coarse fibre which can be seen at the bases of the 
leaf-stalk is mixed with camels' hair by the Arabs and woven into 
tent covers. [a. & s.] 

Notice the great amount of fibre around the base of Chamas- 
rops macrocarpa, (large-fruited.) [s.] 

Chamae'rops staurocantha, (cross-spined), is characterized by 
the peculiar shape of its spines, which are, however, not as prominent 
as the spines of many other palms. [s.] 

Chamae'rops excel'sa, (tall), native of Nepaul, is a handsome 
species, the tallest of this genus. [a.] 



25 

Chamae'rops Fortu'nei, (Fortune's;, is a native of China ; it 
is also one of the taller species, and is characterized by its hairy 
fruit. [a.] 

There is a palm of this genus growing in Florida, Chamae'rops 
hystrics, (bristly), but it is not represented in the conservatories. 




CHAM.-EROPS HUMILIS. 
Schenley Park Conservatory. 



Cory'pha austra lis, (koryphe, summit, australis, southern.) 
This is one of the few palms growing in Australia, and is found on 
the east coast of that continent ; it attains a height of over ioo feet, 
with a trunk about one foot in diameter. The leaves, when still ten- 
der, are cooked and eaten ; those more mature, but still unexpanded, 
are scalded, dried and made into hats. (The Coryphae are among 
the noblest of the fan-palms, their home is tropical Asia, New Hol- 
land and Australia. The Talipot Palm, Corypha umbracolifera (um- 
brella-bearing), is the most majestic of them all, the leaves, when 
fully expanded, form a circle of 10-13 ^ eet in diameter, and the leaf- 
stalks are 6 to 7 feet long ; the trunk reaches a height of 60 to 70 
feet and forms a straight, cylindrical column. The leaves are used 
as umbrellas and tent-covers and large fans made of them are carried 
before people of ranic among the natives of Ceylon. [s.] 



26 

Lata'nia Borbon'ica. The Bourbon palm. ( Latania comes 
from Latanier ; the native name, Borbonica, Irom the island of Bour- 
bon, the native place of this palm. A very hne and popular fan 
palm. Both conservators? possess beautiful specimens of this species. 
In Schenley Park, we also find 

Latania Loidige'sii, Loddiges' Latania. 

Latania ru'bra, the red Latania. 

Latania au'rea, the golden Latania, from the island of Rodri- 
guez, and 

Latania glaucophyl'Ia, (leaves covered with a bloom.) [s.] 

Licua'la hor'rida. (^Licuala, the native name. From India. If 
we notice the stout and sharp spines, covering stem and leaf-stalk ot 
this palm, we do not wonder that it is called horrid. [s.] 

Not much less forbidding, appears 

Licuala spino'sa, (Spiny.) [ .] 

and Licuala acuti'fida, (acute leaved), a native of the island Pulo- 
Penang, in the Indian Archipelago. The stems of these palms grow 
about 5 feet high and i inch thick, except at the base, where they 
are much thicker. They are made into walking sticks, known in 
England under the name of " Penang Lawyers.'" [s] 

Livisto'nia Chinen'sis, (named after P. Murray, of Livingston, 
near Edinburg. C/iinensis, from China.) Tlu Livistonias are allied 
to the Coryphae, and are found in southern China, the Indian Archi- 
pelago and Australia. Their leaves are divided into numerous seg- 
ments, which are split at the apex and frequently have threads hang- 
ing between them, while the foot-stalks are sheathed at the base in a 
mass of threaded fibres and are often prickly along the edges, [s.] 

Livistonia rotundifol'ia, (round leaved), from the Indian 
Archipelago, and [a. & s.] 

Livistonia Hoogendor'fii are also represented in the Schenley 
Park Palm house. [s.] 

Pritchar'dia macrocar'pa, (named in honor of W. T. Pritch- 
ard, the author of '" Polynesian Reminiscences." Macrocarpa y 
large fruited.) An ornamental palm from the Sandwich islands,, 
where also, 

Pritchardia Gaudichau'dii comes from. [s.] 

Pritchardia Pacifica, and 

Pritchardia gran dis come from the Polynesian islands. [s.] 



27 
Rha'pis flabellifor mis, {Rhapis, a needle ;Jlabelli/ormis, fan 
shaped, on account of the sharp pointed, fan-shaped leaves.) These 
palms are related to Chamaerops ; they are small, with reed-like 
stems, which grow in tufts from the same roots ; they are sometimes 
called Ground Rattan Palms, and are among the palms which furnish 
rattan. They are natives of southern China, but are also extensively 
cultivated in Japan. [a. & s.] 

Rhapis hu'milis, (low,) is another species of Rattan palms. 
Notice that the leaves on the above named palms do not grow in a 
crown at the top, but alternate and spiral around the stem, and that 
their sheaths, modified into fibrous tissue, surround the stems as 
with a network. [s.] 

Rhapis Linde'nii is another species found in the Allegheny 
Conservatory. 

Sa'bal Blackburnea'na. Blackburn's Sabal Palm. Sabal 
is probably the native name of the palm. The Sabal palms are next 
to Chamaerops, the most northern of the palms, and all are natives 
of America. Sabal palmetto, (small palm,) is well known in the 
South, and its trunks were used for making stockades in the War of 
Independence. The Palmetto was on that account placed in the 
arms of North Carolina. [a. & s.] 

Thrin'ax e'legans. (Thrina, a fan; elegans, elegant.) A 
West India Palm ; the specimen in the Schenley Park coming from 
Trinidad. These are graceful, slender palms, attaining a height of 20 
feet. [s.] 

Thrinax argente'a. (Silvery.) From Jamaica. Is known as 
the Silver Thatch Palm ; its leaves are not only found excellent for 
thatching, but they are extensively used for making palm-chip hats, 
baskets and other articles. The young leaves are eaten as a vegeta- 
ble. In Panama the palm is called Broom Palm. Visitors to Schen- 
ley Park Conservavory should notice the beautiful network of 
fibres at the bottom of the leaves ; these fibres represent the sheath- 
ing bases of the leaves. 




^\MONG THE PALMS. 

In the centre, Areca lutescens ; to the left of it, Caryota urens ; to the right below, 

Latania Borbonica ; right and left corner, Laurus nobilis. 

Schenley Park Conservatory. 



29 

FEATHER PALMS. 

Acanthophoe'nix crini'ta. (Akaniha, a spine ; phoenix, date 
palm ; crinita, hairy.) A small palm, with thorny stems and 
leaves ; its home are the Seychelle and Mascaren islands. This genus 
is closely allied to the Arecas. [s.] 

Arec'a lutes'cens, (Arec, the Malay name of the palm, 
lutescens, yellowish.) These palms are known under the name of 
Cabbage Palms, because the young leaves of some species (Areca 
oleracea) form a dense head, and while tender, furnish an excellent 
vegetable. Areca lutescens grows wild in the southern part of France, 
it is exceedingly graceful and easily cultivated and is therefore one 
of the most common palms of our green houses, doing good service 
at every decorative display of plants. [a. & s.J 

Areca ru'bra, (red), from the island of Mauritius. [s.] 

Areca Bau'eri, Bauer's Areca, from the Norfolk Island, [s.] 

Areca Verschaffel'tii, Veschaffelt's Cabbage Palm, from the 
island of Rodriguez. [a. & s.] 

The most important of the Arecas is Areca Catechu, of the 
East Indies ; it is the palm yielding the Betel nut, which sliced, 
sprinkled with quick lime and rolled into a leaf of the Betel pepper, 
forms the favorite chewing material of the people of India ; it is ex- 
ceedingly acrid and raises blisters on the tongue, gums and palate of 
the Caucasian at his first attempt of imitating the natives. It has not 
yet been introduced among the chewing gum sold in this country. 

Aren'ga sacchari'fera. (Areng, the native name ; sacchari- 
fer, sugar-bearing.) Is at home on the islands of the Indian Archi- 
pelagos, and on account of the variety of its products is of great 
value to the natives. The black, horse-hair like fibre which surrounds 
the leaf-stalks is plaited into ornaments, woven into matting and 
twisted into cords. The sap obtained by cutting off the flower- 
spikes affords an abundance of sugar which, fermented, turns into 
toddy or palm wine ; also an inferior grade of sago is produced from 
the starchy portions of the stems. 

Astrocar'yum ensifolium. (Astron, a star ; karyon, a nut, 
so called on account of the appearance of the fruit ; ensifolium, 
sword-shaped leaf.) These palms are allied to the cocoanut palm 



3° 

they are natives of South America ; their interrupted pinnate foliage 
is peculiar and their thorny stems make them hard to climb, [s.] 

Astrocar'yum Muru-Mur'u, is a Brazilian species, and the 
graceful 

Astrocar'yum australis, grows in Paraguay. [s.] 

Atta'lea Cohune. (Attalus, magnificent.) The Attaleas are 
among the loftiest of the South American palms. The species above 
named is found in Honduras, and produces the Cahoun nuts which 
yield a valuable oil. [s.] 

Attalea excel'sa, (tall), from Brazil ; a very young specimen 
of this species is present. 

Calamus ciliaris. (Kalom, the Arabic word for a reed ; ciliaris, 
fringed.) The Calamus palms, of which there are many species, are 
nearly all natives of Asia ; they have reed-like stems, seldom more 
than an inch or two in thickness, but of great length, climbing over 
and amongst the branches of trees and supporting themselves by 
hooked spines attached to their leaf-stalks ; others form low bushes. 
From different species of Calamus the rattans or canes, so much used 
for chairs and chair-bottoms, carriages and other purposes, are 
obtained. 

Cayo'ta u'rens. (Karyon, a nut ; urens, stinging. A palm of 
peculiar aspect, on account of its twice compound leaves, the leaflets 
of which are triangular to rhomboid, (somewhat diamond-shaped) in 
outline. In Western Asia, its home, it is a noble and most useful 
tree, supplying the natives with several important articles. From 
its flower-stalks a large quantity of toddy or palm wine is obtained, 
which, boiled down, forms a palm sugar, which is said to be even 
more delicious than our maple sugar. Nearly all the sugar used in 
China is obtained from this palm, the cocoanut palm and a few other 
palms. From the central part of the tree a very good and nutritious 
kind of sago is prepared, which formed into bread and gruel con- 
stitutes a large part of the food of the natives. The fibre obtained 
from the leaf-stalks, called Kittul fibre, is very strong and is turned 
to many uses, while the wooly substance scraped off the leaf-stalks 
is used for caulking boats. [a. & s.] 

Caryo'ta sobolife'ra. (Sucker-bearing,) is another species 
from the Mollucca islands. [a. & s.] 



3' 
Cerox'ylum niv'eum. Wax Palm. (Keros, wax; xylon, wood 
niveum, snowy. The young specimen in the Conservatory gives no 
idea of the beauty and peculiarity of this palm, which is one of the 
largest of this tribe growing in the Andes of South America. Hum- 
boldt mentions of this palm that he found it growing in great num- 
bers near the limits of perpetual snow, the trunk, which attains a 
great height, is about one foot in diameter, but swells out in the mid- 
dle to nearly double that thickness ; it is covered with a thick coating 
of a waxy substance, which is scraped off by the natives and mixed 
with beeswax or tallow foK making candles. One trunk furnishes 
about 25 pounds of this vegetable wax. [a. &. s] 

Chamasdo'rea el'egans. (Chamai, dwarf ; dorea, gift; "The 
Dwarf's Gift," so called because most of the palms are so easily 
reached. It is a native of Mexico ; many other species are found in 
Central and South America. These are low palms, the stems 01 
which are made into walking canes, while the young, unexpanded 
flower clusters are used in the Mexican kitchen as a vegetable. 

[e. & s.] 

Co'cos plumo'sus. Cocoa-nut palm. (Coco is the Portuguese 
word for monkey, in reference to the end of the nut resembling a 
monkey's face ; plumosa, feathery ) This is a Brazilian species, [s.] 

Cocos Romanzoffia. Romanzoff 's cocoanut is represented by 
fine specimen in the Allegheny Conservatory. Admirably graceful 
are the long primatified leaves of the cocos, the slender prinnae 01 
which are inserted on both sides of the midrib in a peculiar fashion, 
these prinnae or leaflets are not stiff like those of other palms, but be- 
come soft toward the apex so that they partly hang down, giving the 
frond the appearance of a gigantic plume. The younger leaves are 
fastened to the stem of the palm by strong fibers ; indeed it looks as 
if they were tied to it with ropes. 

The palm which yields the cocoanut of commerce — 

Cocos nucifera (nut bearing), is a noble and lofty tree. Al- 
though found in nearly all tropical countries, its home seems to be 
southern Asia, where it attains its most majestic form, rearing a 
trunk up to a height of 60 and 80 feet, and attaining a diameter of 2 
feet. It is a sea-loving palm, and gives character to the islands of 
the Pacific, where it is found bordering the low shores, its stately 
column slightly inclined toward the water. The flowers of the palm 
are arranged in branching spikes 5 to 6 feet long, and enclosed in a 



32 

tough covering or spathe. Each spike produces from 10 to 20 nuts. 
With the fruit and its varied uses the reader is well acquainted. The 
wood is imported into Europe under the name of porcupine wood, 
and is used for making articles of furniture. The fiber is extensively 
used for cordage and matting. The oil extracted from the nut is 
used for making soap, stearine and for other purposes. [a. & s.] 

Cocos Wendellian'a. Wendell's cocoanut, can be found in small 
specimens among the tropical plants in the right wing of the Schen- 
ley Park Conservatory ; also in Allegheny Conservatory. 

Daemono'rops palemba'nicus. (^Dcema, a cord ; rhops, a 
twig, so-called on account of the rope-like, climbing stems ; the 
species name refers to Palemba in Java, the home of the palm.) 
These palms are allied to Calamus which they much resemble. 
Dsemonorops draco, also known as Calamus draco, furnishes the red 
resinous substance known as "Dragon's Blood," which is used for 
dyeing, coloring varnishes, tooth-powders and dyeing horn to imitate 
tortoise shell. [s.] 

Oeo'noma Seeman'nii. (^Geonomos, skilled in agriculture; 
probably indicating that it takes a skilled gardener to raise these 
palms.) The Geonoma palms are natives of tropical America where 
they form part of the underwood of dense forests. Most of them 
have reed-like polished stems bearing at the summit a tuft of large 
leaves which are entire when young but afterwards split and become 
irregular pinnate. The flexible stems are sometimes made into 
walking sticks. [s.] 

Ken'tia Balmorean'a. Balmore's Kentia, (named in honor of 
the British Lieut-Colonel Kent.) [s.] 

Kentia Forsterian'a. Forster's Kentia. [a. & s.] 

Kentia Macar'thuri. Macarthur's Kentia. [s.] 

Kentia Wendlandian'a. Wendland's Kentia. [a. &s.] 

These palms are natives of New Guinea, the Madagascar 
Archipelago and New Zealand ; they are related to the Arecas. 
Some species of Kentia grow farther South than any other palm. 

Martinez'ia caryotifol'ia. (In honor of Balthazar Martinez, a 
Spanish naturalist ; caryotifolia, having leaves resembling that of 
the Caryota.) A native of tropical America, growing to the height of 
20 to 30 feet. The mid-ribs and under sides of the leaves are fur- 
nished with sharp spines. [s.] 



33 
Oreodo'xa re'gia. (Oreos, a mountain ; doxa, glory ; regia, 
royal.) As the name implies ; the Royal Mountain Glory. This 
is a lofty palm inhabiting the mountains. It often reaches a height 
above ioo feet, though its stem is slender. It is a native of the 
West Indies. [a.] 

Phoenicopho'rum seychella'rum. A pretty palm, native of 
the Seychelle islands, its large leaves are almost entire and their 
dark colored stalks are bristly with sharp spines. The name might 
be translated into "date-bearing" but it is said to mean the "palm 
carried off," because the first specimen that came to the Kew gar- 
dens was stolen. [s.] 

Phoe'nix dactili'fera. Date Palm. (Phoenix is the Greek name 
of the tree, dactilifera, date bearing.] One of the handsomest and 
most useful of all the palms. Growing in its native soil in northern 
Africa or southern Asia, the date palm rears its slender, column-like 
stem to the height of 60 or 80, even 100 feet, supporting a noble 
crown of 30 to 50 graceful leaves. These leaves consist of a stout 
mid-rib, bearing numerous leaflets on each side. Toward the base 
of the leaf stalk these leaflets assume the nature of sharp spines 
pointing in different directions and protecting the crown and its 
precious burden of fruit from the inroads of monkeys and small 
Arabs. It is the leaf of the date palm which is used in southern 
Europe to decorate the churches on Palm Sunday, and by the 
Jews at their Feast of Passover. The flowers of the date palm 
spring from the axils of the leaves in the form of a spadix ; they are 
dioecious, the pistillate and the staminate flowers growing on differ- 
ent trees. To insure an abundant crop artificial fertilization has'to 
be resorted to, a process which seems to have been practiced in the 
remotest antiquity. The palm begins to bear in about its thirtieth 
year, then for about 70 years it produces annually 15 to 20 bunches 
of fruit, each bunch weighing from 15 to 20 pounds. To many 
of the inhabitants of the oases and of the' borders of the desert 
the date palm furnishes nearly everything necessary to their subsist- 
ence. For 9 months out of 12 it is a never failing food supply ; its 
wood is excellent building material ; the leaves are used for thatch- 
ing ; the leafstalks furnish fuel for the kitchen; sugar is made from 
the sap, also date wine, which, distilled, furnishes a strong drink 
known under the name of arrac, or toddy ; this name is given, how- 
ever, to any kind of alcoholic liquor produced from palms, [a. & s.] 



34 
Phoenix reclina'ta (reclining.) [a. & s.] 

Phoenix rupi'cola. (rock-loving-.) and [a. & s.] 

Phoenix spino'sa. (spiny) are other species represented 
in the conservatories, P. rupicola being an especially graceful plant. 

Ptychosper'ma Alexandra. (Ptyche, a fold or winding, sperma 
a seed ; alluding to a peculiarity of the seed.) A palm related to 
Seaforthia ; native of Australia. [s.] 

Seaforthia elegans. These are amonq- the finest specimens of 
palms found in both conservatories ; their slender and smooth stems 
have a bulbous thickening at the base where stout secondary roots 
are often formed, their crown of large pinnate compound leaves, gives 
the palm indeed an "elegant" appearance and Lord Seaforth, a 
patron of botanists, may justly be proud of having the genus named 
after him. [a. & s.] 

Verschaffel'tia splend'ida. (Named in honor of M. A. Versch- 
affelt, who introduced the first known species.) A very interesting 
small palm which no visitor should fail to examine. It comes from 
the Seychelle islands, has a dark stem bristling with sharp thorns 
and supported by a number of aerial roots. The leaf is entire, broad 
and plaited. The palm stands at present in the wing to the right- 
hand of the Palm house. 



Trachycar'pus excel'sus. Trachys, hairy ; Karpus, fruit ; so- 
called on account of its rough, hairy fruit.) This is the most interest- 
ing of the Fan palms in Allegheny Conservatory ; it is a late ar- 
rival and therefore added here out of place. The specimen was 
exhibited at Chicago by the University of Tokio in Japan ; it con- 
sists of a dozen palms grown upon an old fern trunk and represents 
an odd and rare curiosity. 




Other Large Plants in the Palm Houses. 



SCREW PINES. 

These plants, which have a somewhat palm-like appearance, are 
interesting on account of their peculiar leaf arrangement. The long, 
rigid leaves, which are armed along their edge and midrib with 
closely set and sharp prickles, are arranged in three ranks, each 
rank forming a spiral along which the leaves are placed in close suc- 
cession, thus forming a threefold screw. Another habit worth notic- 
ing is that of producing large aerial roots which aid in support- 
ing the plant as it grows in size. The Pandanaceae occupy 
botanically a position between the aroids and the palms. To call 
them "pines" is a misnomer and misleading in regard to the rela- 
tionship of the plant, as so many popular names are. The pine- 
apple for instance is neither the fruit of a pine nor that of an apple. 
The fact that the fruit is edible and that it somewhat resembles a 
large pine-cone gave rise to the name ; the Pandanus has a fruit 
somewhat resembling the pine-apple but more globular ; to dis- 
tinguish it from the latter, which grows in the same localities, it was 
called screw pine. Most species of this interesting family are found 
in the islands of the Indian Archipelago where they cover large 
tracts of country with an almost impenetrable mass of vegetation. 

Panda'nus ut'ilis. (Screw Pine.) Pandang, the Malay name ; 
utilis, useful.) The home of this species, of which handsome speci- 
mens are found in both conservatories, is the island of Mauritius ; it 
is the most useful of the Pandanae, the fiber obtained from the leaves 
forming excellent material for making strong sacks for exporting 
sugar and bags for the shipping of coffee. [a. & s.] 

Pandanus Veit'schei. Veitch's Screw Pine, is a native of 
Polynesia. [a. & s.] 

Pandanus Java'nica variegata. Variegated Javanese screw 
pine. A smaller species with white margins to the leaves. [s.] 

Pandanus reflexus, (bent back leaves) from the East 
Indies. [a.] 



Pandanus graminaefol'ia, Grass-leaved Screw Pine. A hand- 
some form with narrow leaves. [a.] 

Related to the Screw Pines are the Carludovicas, favorite orna- 
mental plants with large plaited leaves, somewhat resembling those 
of the fan palm ; the flowers are borne on a club shaped spadix, sup- 
ported on a straight scape. This plant furnishes the material for the 
Panama hats. 




PANDANUS UTILIS. 

Allegheny Conservatory. 
Carlud'ovica palmata. (Named after Charles IV. of Spain 
and Louisa, his queen. Palmata, hand-shaped leaved.) This is the 
best known and also the handsomest of this genus ; there is scarcely 
a conservatory or a greenhouse of any pretentions which has not 
some specimens of it. It is a native of Peru. [a. & s.] 



37 

Carludovica rotundifol'ia, (round-leaved) is' represented in 
the Allegheny Conservatory also 

Carludovica atrovir'ens, (dark green), while the Schenley Park 
Conservatory possesses a specimen of 

Carludovica hum'ilis, (low) from New Granada. 



THE BANANA. 



Although stately and palm-like, the bananas are in reality only 
overgrown herbs. They have a false trunk, formed by the com- 
bined sheathing bases of the leaf-stalks. The material of this trunk 
or shaft is soft and fibrous, so that the thickest " banana tree " can 
be felled with a table-knife. In the banana plantations the stems 
are cut away near the ground after the plant has matured its fruit. 
New shoots appear at the sides of the old stem ; these attain their 
full growth in from six to nine months, yielding another abundant 
crop of their excellent fruit. 

According to Humboldt, the productiveness of the banana as 
compared with wheat is 133 to 1, and as against potatoes, 44 to 1. 
Taking equal weights of potatoes and bananas, the latter are about 
twice as nutritious. 

The banana seems to have come originally from Asia ; whether 
it grew indigenous in America or has been introduced at an early 
date is still a matter of dispute. At present the bananas are culti- 
vated in all tropical climates where fertile soil and moisture are 
abundant ; they form an important and wholesome food supply for 
many of the inhabitants of the tropics, especially in the islands cf the 
Pacific. From Stanley's reports and experiences we know what a 
blessing this plant is for the inhabitants of Central Africa. The 
flowers of the banana grow on pendent spikes ; at first they are pro- 
tected by large, highly colored bracts ; as these bracts drop off one 
by one, they disclose groups or rows of tubular flowers, from 5 to 12 
or more in number. As the ovaries develop to form the fruit, they 
grow upward, a peculiarity not shared by many kinds of fruit. 

Not only the ripe fruit of the banana is eaten ; the unripe fruit, 
which consists almost entirely of starch, is used in immense quan- 
tities to prepare banana or plantain flour. For that purpose the un- 
ripe fruit is dried in the sun and ground in mortars. The young 
shoots of the plant are eaten as a vegetable and the fermented sap is 
said to afford a pleasant beverage. 



38 

The adoption of the banana in this country as a favorite "all- 
the-year-round " fruit dates only a few decades back, and in Europe 
it is as yet scarcely known except at the seaports. We get our 
supply chiefly from the islands of the West Indies. 

The varieties of the edible banana also called plantain, are 
numerous, but only two species have been thus far distinguished : 
Musa sapientum, the banana which comes into our markets, and 
Musa paradisi'aca, the plantain or " Fig of Paradise." This name 
has its origin from a notion that the plantain was the forbidden fruit 
which brought our ancient relatives into trouble. 

Mus'a sapien'tum, Banana. {Musa, from Mauz the Egyptian 
name ; sapientum, wise man. It is distinguished from Musa para- 
disaica by shorter and rounder fruit and purple spots upon the 
stem. [a. & s.] 

Musa tex'tiJis. Manilla plantain. This is the plant from which 
the Manilla Hemp is prepared as well as Manilla paper and other 
useful material. [a. & s.] 

Musa Cavendishii. Cavendish's Banana. A dwarf species from 
China, very largely grown in conservatories and gardens on account 
of its fine foliage. [a. & s.] 




Abyssinian Banana. — Schenley Park Conservatory. 
Musa enset'e. Abysinian Banana. A handsome species ; its 
fruit is not edible, but the base of the flower stalk is cooked and 
eaten by the natives. [s.] 



39 
riusa vittata variegata. Striped and blotched with white, [a.] 
Some of the plants related to the bananas are : 
Ravena'la Madegascarien'sis. The Traveler's Tree. A beau- 
tiful palm -like plant with immense oblong leaves which spread out 
like the vanes of a gigantic fan ; it is a native of Madagascar. A 
considerable quantity of water is stored up in the large, cup-like 
sheaths of the leafstalk, a provision most welcome to the exhausted 
and thirsty traveler and explorer in the wilds of Madagascar. A 
visitor to that island, Rev. William Ellis, says he was skeptical about 
the stories told of the Ravenala but on one of his expeditions they 
came to a clump of these trees ; one of his bearers thrust his spear- 
head several inches deep into the thick, firm end of the leaf-stalk, 
where it joined the trunk. Instantly a stream of water gushed forth, 
about a quart of which was caught in a pitcher. The water was cool 
and perfectly sweet. The fruit of the Traveler's tree is edible, the 
leaves form excellent thatch for the huts of the natives and the stems 
are used for partitions and flooring. [s.] 




BIRD OF PARADISE PLANT. 

Schenley Park Conservatory. 

Strelit'zia regin'se. Bird of Paradise Plant. (Regincz, the queen; 
named after Charlotte, queen to George III. of the house of Mecklen- 
burg-Strelitz.) This interesting plant is a native of the Cape of Good 



40 

Hope. To appreciate its beauty one has to see it in flower. The 
large bud is placed obliquely on a long flower-stalk which may be 
compared with the slender neck of a bird, while the head resembles 
a bird's head, and the perianth, consisting of orange- colored sepals 
and purple petals, imitates the crown-feathers of the fancied bird. 
The seeds of this plant are eaten by the Kaffirs. [a. & s.] 

Strelitzia augusta, (grand) is another fine representative of 
this genus, with handsome, large leaves which remind one of the 
foliage of Ravenala. [a.] 



THE CONIFERS. 

Some of the tropical Conifers, the Cycads and Zamias, have 
much resemblance with palms, also with tree-ferns while others, the 
Araucarias, resemble more our pines, but have generally stouter and 
broader leaves. 

Cyc'as circinal'is. (Cycas, Greek name for a palm; circin- 
alis, the young leaves rolled up like the frond of a fern.) Native of 
the East Indies. See page 22. [a. & s.] 

Cycas revolut'a. (rolled back-leaved) Native of China, [a.&s.] 

Cycas Nove Caledon'ica. From New Caledonia. [s.] 

The Cycas have an ancient pedigree ; they appeared at the 
close of the carboniferous age, and reached their greatest develop- 
ment during the age of reptiles. Botanically the Cycas seem to form 
a link between the the exogenous and the endogenous plants. They 
are of slow growth but long lived ; they cover large areas in south- 
ern Africa, where they furnish the " Kaffir bread." The largest and 
handsomest species are found in the Moluccas, but they have repre- 
sentatives in nearly all parts of the tropics. Three Cycas occur in 
Florida : Zamia Integrifolia, Zamia pumila and Zamia Floridana. 
Cycas revoluta and some other species contain considerable quan- 
tities of starchy matter in their thick stems, from which a kind of 
sago is prepared ; therefore they are sometimes wrongly called Sago 
palms ; the real Sago palm is Sagus Rumphii. 

Zamia integrifol'ia (entire-leaved) is a dwarf species grow- 
ing in the West Indies, but it is in southern Africa where this 
genus abounds so as to form a conspicuous feature in the vegetation 
of that country. [a. &s.] 



4i 

Macrozam'ia lat'ifrons. {Macros, long, great ; latifrons, broad- 
leaved.) This interesting plant has been mentioned before. Mr. 
Hamilton, Superintendent of the Allegheny Parks, noticed it among 
the horticultural exhibits in Chicago and recognized it at once as a 
species not heretofore described. Mr. Nicholson, director of the 
Kew gardens near London, one of the first authorities in botanical 
matters, gave it the above name on the account of its broad 
leaves. [a.] 

Macrozamia furfurac'ea. Schenley Park Conservatory poss- 
esses probably the finest specimen of this most handsome Aus- 
tralian species. (See Illustration.) 

Macroza'mia spiralis. {Spiralis, spiral-leaved.) The Macro- 
zamias are nearly all natives of Australia, the midrib of the young 
leaves of the above species is twisted, forming a spiral. [s.] 

Araucar'ia imbricat'a. Chili pine, or Monkey puzzle. (Aran- 
caros, the name given to the tree in Chili ; bnbricata, overlapping, 
like shingles.) These beautiful trees form vast forests in the mountains 
of southern Chili ; they attain great height and are valuable for tim- 
ber. The seeds are edible when fresh and grow in large cones. It 
is quite hardy and fine specimens adorn many a park in 
England and Ireland. It does not seem to stand our climate. On 
account of its rigid pointed leaves it is even for monkeys a hard 
task to climb it. [s.] 

Araucaria Bidwil'lii is another noble tree of wonderful sym- 
metry, it also grows in South America and bears immense cones the 
seeds of which are eaten by the natives. 

Araucaria Cunningham'ii, from Moreton Bay, is quite differ- 
ent in appearance from the other species and has a white bark ; a 
fine specimen can be seen in the center of the Fern house in Schen- 
ley Park Conservatory. 

Ced'rus deodar'a. Deodar or Indian Cedar. The name Cedrus 
seems to be derived either from the Arabic Kedron, power, in refer- 
ence to its majestic appearance or from Cedron, a brook in Judea. 
The above named species is a native of Nepaul and is often propa- 
gated for parks by grafting it on the common cedar. [a.] 



VARIOUS OTHER SPECIES CULTIVATED IN 
THE PALM HOUSES. 



Most of the smaller plants in the Palm Houses are also found, 
and in greater variety, in the other houses and they will be men- 
tioned later on, but the larger plants, not yet enumerated, are in- 
cluded in the following list. 

Agav'e Americana. American Century plant. (Agavos, ad- 
mirable.) The Century Plants are mostly natives of Mexico and 
South America ; they are characterized by their large fleshy leaves 
with spiny margins and tips. Some of them are long-lived plants 
growing slowly until the flower-stalk forms, which rapidly rears its 
chandelier-like flower-cluster up to considerable height ; from 15 to 
20 and even 40 feet. After having expanded its multitude of yellow- 
ish flowers which spread fragrance in every direction, and after hav- 
ing ripened its seed, the plant is ^exhausted and dies. The age which 
these plants attain depends upon the species and upon the climate 
and conditions of growth. While in rare cases they may live one 
hundred years before they bloom, most attain the glorious end of 
their patient lives in 30 to 60 years or about the average lifetime of 
a human being. [a. & s.] 

Agave glauca. (jrlauca, the leaves covered with a bloom.) 
This is a peculiar species, much resembling a palm ; it forms a stem 
15 to 20 feet high on which there is a crown of numerous narrow 
leaves while the old dry leaves below gradually break away. Two 
of this species are at present in the aquatic department of Schenley 
Park Conservatory ; they come from Mexico. From the fibres 01 
several Agaves ropes and paper is manufactured and Humboldt 
describes a bridge with a span of 130 feet over the Quimbo at Quito 
of which the main rope, four inches in diameter, was made of Agave 
fibre. From the concentrated juice of the leaf a kind of soap is 
made which will lather in salt water as well as in fresh water. But 
one of the most important products from the Mexican point of view 
is the favorite beverage Pulque, which is prepared by cutting out the 
inner leaves just before the flower-stalk is bursting out ; a con- 
siderable quantity of sap flows out at the wounded spot, which is of 



44 

slightly acid taste and easily ferments, assuming a very disagreeable 

odor while the taste somewhat resembles cider and is pronounced 

delicious by those who are used to it. The name Agave and Aloe 

are often confounded because the plants have some similarity. 

Agaves belong to the Amaryllis family, while Aloes belong to the 

Lily family. 

Arun'do don'ax variegat'a. (arundo, a reed ; variegata, 

variegated.) this is the tallest grass growing in Europe ; in Spain 
and southern Italy it reaches a height of from 15 to 20 feet ; some 
variegated forms resemble a gigantic ribbon grass and are very 
handsome. The hollow stems are made into flutes, pipes and fish- 
ing rods. It is said that the heroes of Homer made arrows from 
this reed and that Achilles thatched his house with its leaves. A 
fine and tall specimen of this plant is in the Palm House in Alle- 
gheny Conservatory ; those in the Schenley Park Conservatory are 
at this writing not yet fully developed. 

Bambus'a arundinac'ea. Bamboo. {Bamboo, the Indian name; 
arundinacea, reed-like.) The tallest and one of the most useful of 
all grasses. In Eastern Asia, its principal home, it attains often 
a height of 50 to 60 feet in one season. The Chinese and Japanese 
build their homes with Bamboo canes, manufacture their furniture 
from it, equip their ships with masts and beams and sails made from 
this material and use it for innumerable other purposes for which its 
lightness and strength adapt it. Bamboo cane finds also in our 
country various uses among which that for fishing rods is not the 
least important. [a. & s.] 

Beaucar'nea recurvat'a. {Recurvata, turned back ; on ac- 
count of the leaves being turned backwards.) A handsome, yucca- 
like plant from Mexico; the base of the stem is bulb-like; the 
flower-cluster which forms at the top of the leafy crown is sometimes 
over a yard in height and bears from 4,000 to 5,000 small fragrant 
flowers. It is a member of the Lily family. [a. & s.] 

Dasylir'ion glaucophyl'Ium. (Dasys, thick ; lirion, a lily.) 
This plant resembles and is related to Beaucarnea and has also, as 
the name implies, light green leaves, covered with a whitish bloom. 
It is also a native of Mexico. [s.] 

Coccol'oba pubes'cens. Sea-side grape. (Kokkos, a berry ; 
lobas, a lobe, in reference to the fruit ; pubescens, downy.) A hand- 
some plant with large, sessile leaves which turn to a copper red ; it 
is situated under the large Date palm on the hill to the left in 
Schenley Park Palm House. The plant more properly known 



45 
under the name of " Seaside Grape " is Coccoloba uvifera (grape- 
bearing) in which the outside flower parts — perianth, become 
pulpy and of a violet color and surrounds the fruit ; it is edible and 
of a pleasant acid flavor. It is a native of the West Indies. Knot- 
weed family. [s.] 

Al'oe Socotrin'a. (Alloe/i, the Arabic name of the plant ; 
socotra, from the island of Socotra.) The aloes belong to the Lily 
family and are found in nearly all tropical countries but especially in 
southern Africa. They are largely cultivated for the drug prepared 
from the dried bitter juice of the plant and known under the name 
of Aloes. The species named above is said to yield the best quality 
of that drug. [s.] 

Cupan'ia filicifol'ia. (Named after F. F. Cupani, an Italian 
monk, who wrote on botany ; filicifolia, fern leaved.) A small tree 
which by many visitors is taken for a tree fern because its compound 
leaves resemble the fronds of ferns. The Cupanias belong to the 
Soapberry family and many of its species are useful trees yielding 
valuable woods such as the " Tulip wood," the "Loblolly wood " 
and others. [a.] 

Dracaen'a drac'o. Fine specimens of this species are found 
especially in the Allegheny Conservatory. Dracaenas are all men- 
tioned further on under " Foliage Plants." 

Eucalyp'tus globulus. Gum Tree. (Eu, good ; Kalypto, 
covering, referring to the peculiar calyx which coverj the flowers 
when in the bud ; globulus, round, globtilar.) The Eucalyptus trees 
are natives of Australia and Tasmania and are of great importance 
to these countries furnishing not only the principal and very valu- 
able timber, but also an aromatic gum and a number of valuable 
medicinal products. One species, Eucalyptus Ganni, is called the 
Tasmania Cider tree, as it yields a cool, refreshing liquid from cuts 
made in its bark during spring. Eucalyptus gigantea is the giant 
tree which attains a height of 400 feet and above with a circumfer- 
ence of 100 feet near the ground. Eucalyptus trees are cultivated 
now in great numbers in California and in Southern Africa ; they are 
said to exert a healthful influence upon the atmosphere of the sur- 
sounding country. Myrtle family. [s.] 

Euon'ymus variegat'us. Spindle tree. {Eu, good ; ouoma, 
a name, literally, of good repute.) The spindle trees of which we 
have several species in this country, known under the name of 



4 6 

" Burning' Bush," " Strawberry Bush," "Wahoo,' : are most beauti- 
ful in the fall, when their three to four-celled fruit capsules burst open 
and show the bright red seed. The above is from Japan. The name 
Spindle tree is due to the fact that spindles were made from its 
wood, which is hard and tough and still much used for making shoe 
pegs, toothpicks and various other articles. [s.] 

Fic'us elas'tica. India Rubber Tree. {Ficus, fig tree.) Its 
dark green, thick and glossy leaves, and the bright-colored bracts 
which envelop the terminal bud make it an ornamental plant. We 
would scarcely recognize it in its home in India, where it attains the 
height and thickness of a majestic tree, from which masses of thick 
aerial roots are hanging down. It is by making incisions in these 
roots, principally, that the milky sap is obtained which yields the 
rubber. The native trees are fast becoming destroyed by the reck- 
less treatment of the sap-gatherers ; but the regular cultivation of 
the rubber tree has been commenced. From the age of 40 years a 
tree yields about 40 pounds of coutchouc a season. It is only safe, 
however, to tap them once in three years. The India-rubber tree, 
Ficus elastica, belongs to the order Moraceae, or the Mulberry fam- 
ily ; it has a number of interesting relatives : the common edible 
fig, Ficus carica, the Mulberry, the Breadfruit tree, the Cow tree or 
Milk tree of Venezuela, the Osage orange, the Banyan tree, Ficus 
Indica, the ill-famed Upas tree of Java, and others. [a. & s.] 

Ficus elas'tica variegata. [a.] 

Ficus imperial'is. A very handsome species with large 
leaves. [a. & s.] 

Ficus Parcel'li. (^ParceWs?) Leaves variegated with white and 
green ; Polynesian Island. [a. & s.] 

Ficus glomerat'a. A narrow leaved species. [s.] 

Ficus rep'ens. (Creeping) From China. [a. & s.] 

Ficus scan'dens. (Climbing) India. [s.] 

These two last species are small and can be seen climbing and 
trailing like ivy among the rocks in Schenley Park Palm house. 

Ficus min'imus, (least) resembles Ficus repens and is also 
from China. [a.] 

Ficus Chauvie'ri, (C/iattvier's Fig tree) grows to con- 
siderable size and can be raised as easily as Ficus elastica. 

Qaston'ia palmat'a. (Named in honor of Gaston de Bourbon, 
son of Henry IV.) It is a native of Mauritius and belongs to the Ivy 
family. [a.] 



47 

Hibis'cus Cooperi. Cooper's Hibiscus. {Hibiscus was Virgil's 
name for the Marsh Mallow.) This is a fine shrub with large scarlet 
flowers ; a native of New Caledonia. The one in Schenley Park is of 
the variety tricolor. [a. & s.] 

Hibiscus rosa=sinensis, (Chinese Rose) is another beautiful 
specimen from the East Indies. [s.] 

The "Marsh Mallow" of this country is Hibiscus Moscheutos, a 
tall herb with large pink flowers, it grows abundantly in marshy 
places on the eastern coast of the United States and also near the 
Great Lakes. The seeds contain a mucilaginous substance from 
which it is alleged the marsh mallow drops of our confectionary 
shops are made. Mallow family. [s.] 

Justic ia car'nea. (Named after a celebrated Scotch horticul- 
turist, J. Justice ; camea, flesh-colored.) A shrub bearing two- 
lipped, white and pink flowers ; native of India and Southern 
Africa. Acanthus family. [s.] 

Justicia bicalyculata, (having two cups or flower-coverings.) 

[s.] 

Lau'rus nob'ilis. (From the Celtic blaur or laur, green ; 
nobi/is, noble. ) The genuine Laurel of southern Europe, the leaves 
of which, arranged in wreaths were used to crown honored poets 
and heroes. The aromatic oil contained in the leaves make them useful 
in various other ways. Schenley Park Conservatory contains several 
very fine specimens of the plant. Laurel family. [a. & s.] 

Monstera deliciosa also called 

Philodendron pertusum is described later on among the 
foliage plants. 

Pittospor'um Tobir'a. {Pitte, pitch, tar; sporos, a seed; so 
named on account of the resinous coating of the seed ; Tobira, the 
native name of the plant.) A handsome shrub from Japan, with a 
profusion of white flowers whose fragrance resembles that of the 
orange blossom. It is a favorite plant in the Paris flower gardens. 
There is also a variegated specimen of this species in Schenley 
Park. Pittosporum family. [s.] 

Sansevie'ra Zeylan'ica. Bowstring Hemp. Named after 
Raymond de Sansgrio, Prince of Sanseviera. Zeylanica, from Cey- 
lon.) A peculiar plant with long and stiff, somewhat cactus-like 
leaves which are cross-striped with dark green and whitish bands. 



4 8 

The fibres of these leaves are used for bowstrings by the natives of 
Ceylon and other countries where the plant grows. The African 
Bowstring Hemp is Sanseviera Guineensis. [a. & s.] 

Sanseviera Japonica. From Japan. [s.] 

These plants belong to the Lily family. 

Theophras'ta latifolia (Named after Theophrastus Paracel- 
cus; latifolia, broad-leaved). This small tree with slender trunk and 
crown of rich, broad leaves has already been referred to in the intro- 
ductory remarks on the Palm houses. It is a native of South 
America. Myrsina family. [a. & s.] 

Toxicoph'laea Thurnber'gii ( Toxico, poison; phleros, bark). 
A fine shrub, but very poisonous ; a decoction of the bark was used 
by the Bushmen of South Africa for poisoning their arrows. It is a 
native of the Cape of Good Hope. [s.] 

Toxicophlaea spectab'ilis (showy) is from Natal. Dogbane 
family. [A.] 

Nerium olean'der, Oleander. (_Neros, moist, referring to the 
nature of the place in which it grows). The Oleander has long been 
popular as a garden shrub on account of its showy appearance when 
in bloom. It belongs to the same family as Toxicophlaea and is 
also very poisonous. [a. & s.] 




49 



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52 



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Schenley Park Conservatory. (See Page 34.) 



Foliage Plants. 



Foliage Plants. 



In this chapter are collected the plants which are cultivated 
rather for their attractive and ornamental foliage than for their 
flowers ; some of them, as the Cannas, Anthuriums and others com- 
bine a showy flower with a decorative leaf. In the conservatories 
some of the plants named in the following list are raised in the Palm 
houses while the majority can be found in the other tropical depart- 
ments. We shall begin with the plant belonging to the 

ARUM FAMILY. 

Because they constitute a great part of the foliage plants and 
are characterized by an odd manner of bearing their flowers and 
fruit, somewhat resembling the inflorescence of the Palms and 
Bananas. The flowers are borne upon a fleshy club called a spadix 
and generally surrounded by an envelope, called a spathe. The 
Calla, wrongly called Lily and the Jack-in-the-Pulpit of our woods 
are familiar examples. 

THE DIEFFENBACHIA5. 

The plants of this genus, which is named after the German 
ootanist Dr. Dieffenbach, are characterized by handsome, often 
variegated foliage. But they possess an exceedingly acrid and 
poisonous juice and if part of the plant should ever be brought into 
the mouth, it causes the tongue to swell and the mouth to burn so 
intensely that speech is impossible. Many fine specimens of this 
are found in the conservatories ; they represent the following species : 

Dieffenbach'ia Baraquinian a (Baraquin's), from Brazil. The 
leaf has a white leaf-stalk and midrib. [a. & S.] 

D. Baus'ei (Bause's). The leaf with its dark green margin and 
yellowish green center sprinkled with white spots is a beauti- 
ful object. . [a.] 

D .Bowman'ii (Bowman's). From Brazil. The leaves are 
yellowish green blotched with dark green. [a.] 

D. Imperially (Imperial). From South America. The leaves 
are dark green with yellow spots, midrib grayish. [s.] 



56 

D. Memoria=Cor'si has a green leaf with yellow lines and dots 
starting from the midrib. 

D. nob'ilis (noble). From Brazil. Leaves with central grey- 
band and yellowish green patches. [a. & s.] 

D. pic'ta (painted). Tropical America. Leaves white 
spotted. [s.] 

D. Weir'ii (Weir's). From Brazil. Leaves marbled with 
yellow. [s.] 

D. Seguin'e (Seguine's) not represented in the conservatories ; 
has been used by the slaveholders to punish their slaves ; they were 
forced to bite the plant, which caused agonizing pain and deprived 
them for some time of the power of speech ; hence the name. 
"Dumb cane." 

THE ANTHURIUMS. 

The name of this plant is derived from two Greek words mean- 
ing "Flower-tail ; " it is suggested by the long, tail-like spadix 
which contains numerous perfect flowers. The spathe of some 
sptcies is brightly colored. Formerly the plants were called "Pothos" 
under which name they are described by Humboldt and other 
travelers in South America. They are found sometimes growing 
between the forks of trees and sending down a cluster of aerial roots ; 
being air plants like many orchids. In the following list of Anthuri- 
ums which can be seen in the Conservatories the species names are 
not translated since they are nearly all proper names. 

Anthurium Andraean'um, has a bright scarlet spathe and a 
yellow and white spadix. [a. & s.] 

A. Augustinum. From tropical America [a. & s.] 

A. Brownii. [s.] 

A. Clarkian'um. [a.] 

A. Crystallin'um has a most handsome leaf of a velvety green 
color with white veins (shown in the illustration). From Colum- 
bia, [a. & s.] 
A. Ferrierense has a pink spathe and dark purple spadix. 
A. grande. [a.] 
A. Lindenian'um, satiny leaves, a white spathe and purplish 
spadix. [a. & S.] 



57 
A. magnificum. [s.] 

A. Reynoldian'um. [s.] 

A. Rotschildian'um. [a. & s.] 

A. Scherzerianum, has a scarlet spathe and a twisted spadix 
and is popularly called "Flamingo plant." It comes from Costa 
Rica. [a. &s.] 

Caladium marmorat'um. (The name, probably, is derived 
from Kaladion, a cup ; marmoratum, marbled.) Among' the 
foliage plants few are more decorative than the Caladiums ; they are 
just y popular and are planted in large groups in parks and on 
private grounds, they present a fine tropical aspect. The root-stalks 
of these plants are rich in starch, but most of them are very acrid 
and some even poisonous, but Caladium bicolor, C. sagittifolium 
are used as food. C. esculentum is even cultivated in abundance 
in India and brought to the markets ; the leaves as well as the root- 
stalks being used for food. These plants are popularly known under 
the name of Elephant's Ears. 

The Allegheny Conservatory possesses a fine assortment of 
"Fancy-colored Caladiums " which in gorgeousness and variety of 
color are scarcely surpassed by the most brilliant flower. 

Related to the Caladiums are the Alocasias ; these plants also 
produce edible tubers. They are distinguished by their handsome 
arrow and shield-shaped leaves on long, stout leaf-stalks. 
They are natives of India and the islands of the Pacific. The name 
Alocasia has been chosen to distinguish them from Colocasia (the 
Greek name for the root of an Egyptian plant) to which they are 
closely allied. Handsome specimens can be seen in the Schenley 
Park Palm house among which the following : 

Alocas'ia arbor'ea (tree-like). [a. &s.] 

A. macrorhiz'a, (jnacros, long ; rhiza, root ; having a large 

root-stalk). From the Polynesian islands. [a. & s.] 

A. metal'lica (metallic) The Shield Plant. The leaf is of a rich 

bronze hue and resembles a metal shield. From Borneo. [s.] 
A. Sanderian'a. [s.] 

A. Seden'ii (Seden's\ Leaves arrow-shaped, bronzy green, 

purple beneath ; veins white. [a. & s.] 

A. Veit'chii. [a. & s.] 

A. violac'ea (violet). [s.] 



53 

A. Walton'i. [a. &s.] 

A. zebrin'a (zebra-like). From the Philippine islands, [a.] 

Richard ia Ethiop'ica. Calla Lily. {Kalos, beautiful.) This 
handsome and popular plant is too well known to need description. 
While commonly called a lily it does not belong to the Lily family, 
having no calyx composed of petals, but a spadix on which the 
stamens grow above and the pistils below and which is surrounded 
by. a large white spathe. The plant is named after Richard, the 
noted French botanist. It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope. 

A'corus variegat'a. (a, not ; kore, the pupil of the eye ; the 
name refers to some medicinal property of the plant ; variegata, 
variegated.) Well known is Acorus calamus, the Sweet Flag, the 
aromatic root-stalks of which many of the readers may have chewed 
in their early childhood. 

Aglaonem'a commutat'um (Aglaos, bright ; nema, thread ; 
commutation, changed). The leaves are blotched with grayish spots ; 
the spathes are fragrant. A native of the Philippines. [a.] 

Aglaonema pic'tum (painted . Leaves with light and dark 
green designs. [s.] 

Curmer'ia picturat'a ( Painted Curmeria). This is a relative of 
the Richardia, it has on its heart-shaped leaves a broad, central band 
of silver gray, [s.] 

Curmeria Wallisii Wallis' ) has a dark green leaf with yellowish 
green. 

rionster'a deliciosa (On account of its delicious fruit). Also 
called 

Philoden'dron pertus'um (from Philo, to love, and dendron, 
tree). This is a mighty climbing plant, producing a tangle of aerial 
roots. The specimen fac'ng the visitor of Allegheny Conservatory 
at the entrance to the Palm house gives an excellent idea of the ap- 
pearance of the plant in its native place, the primeval woods of Mex- 
ico and Southern America. Its fruit resembles a large ear of corn 
and the pulp which surrounds it, when ripe, has a delicious pineapple- 
like flavor. The specimen mentioned yields abundant fruit every 
year. The plants in Schenley Park Conservatory are not quite as 
large, but are growing rapidly. The peculiarity of the leaf, which is 
perforated, has been mentioned before. 










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MONSTERA DELICIOSA AND GROUP OF BANANAS. 

Allegheny Conservatory. 



6o 

Philodendron Sellowian'um (Sellow's) has a white spadix 
and a greenish white spathe. [a.] 

Schismatoglot'tis LavaI'lii (schisma, falling away ; glotta, a. 
tongue ; because the upper part of the spathe falls off so quickly). 
Natives of Borneo. A fine foliage plant resembling a Maranta. A 
splendid specimen of it can be seen in the Palm house. [s.] 



THE CANNAS. 



The Cannas, natural relatives of the Bananas, share not only the 
luxuriance of the children of tropics, but lend besides the charm of 
glowing color. Like torches of red and golden flame they glow in 
various places in the Palm house and other tropical departments and 
seem almost to light up their surroundings. The Cannas, sometimes 
called " Indian Shot " on account of the round, black and hard seeds, 
have become very popular of late and there is scarcely a garden to- 
day without some group or groups of this rich, ornamental plant. 
Much has been done too, especially by French nurserymen, to pro- 
duce new, handsome and showy varieties. The Canna is not only a 
beautiful plant, but also a useful one ; from the tubers of some of 
the species, especially from Canna edulis, known also under the 
name of Tons les mois, an excellent kind of arrowroot is prepared ; 
the tubers of others are used as a vegetable and the leaves are used 
for packing. The Cannas just now most popular are the dwarf 
varieties produced from species less showy, by th ; famous French 
gardener Crozy ; it may indeed be said that there exists at present 
a Crozy craze among the florists and Canna fanciers. The Con- 
servatories possess a fine suite of those Crozy Cannas and whoever 
examines their gorgeous flowers will admit that they richly deserve 
their popularity. The suite includes the following varieties : 

Madame Crozy, flowers, scarlet, bordered with gold. 

Alphonse Bouvier, large crimson flowers. 

Paul Bruant, brilliant orange flower merging into scarlet. 

J. D. Caboz, flowers orange, with a pinkish tinge. 

Eldorado, flowers golden yellow. 

Egandale, foliage dark maroon-green ; flowers, bright cherry 
color. 

Charles Henderson, flowers, scarlet merging into crimson. 

Sarah Hill, flowers, red. 



6i 

Paul Marquant, a large and beautiful flower the color of which 
is not easy to define ; it might be called a bright salmon with a 
tinge of carmine. 

Beauty of Poitevin, a glowing dark red flower. 

Capitaine P. deSuzzoni, yellow flowers mottled with scarlet. 

Florence Vaughan, lemon yellow spotted with bright red. 



THE MARANTAS OR ARROWROOT. 

These foliage plants, par excellence, find few equals in beauty 
and peculiarity of design of the leaves and in richness and variety of 
color. They are named after Balthazar Maranti, an Italian botanist, 
and are found in the tropics of both hemispheres. From the fleshy 
root-stalks of some of the species the starchy matter known as 
Arrow-root is obtained. Some of the plants called Maranta by the 
horticulturists are really Calatheas, a closely alhed species. {Kalathos, 
a basket, in reference to the leaves being worked into baskets in 
South America.) The name Maranta is retained in the following list 
because the plants are thus labeled and popularly better known 
under that name. The species properly belonging to Calathea are 
marked (c). 

The following species can be found in the conservatories : 
riaran'ta bi'color, two-colored Maranta. Has round leaves 
of pale green color with irregular blotches of dark olive ; underneath, 
rose purple. From Brazil. [s.] 

n. Chimboracen'sis (Chimborazo). Ground color, light green 
with zigzig markings of olive green, bordered with white. An 
elegant species from Ecuador. [s.] 

n. distich'ium (two ranked). [a.] 

fl. (c.) exim'ia (choice). [s.] 

n. (c.) fasciat'a (banded). [s.] 

n. hirsut'a ( hairy \ [s.] 

n. (c. ) Kerchowian'a (Kerchow's). Leaves green with two 
rows of brown blotches. From Brazil. [s] 

n. <c.) Leit'zei (Leitze's). Leaves deep green, with short 
yellow-green bands. From Brazil. [s.] 

J*l. (c.) Lenden'ii (Linden's). Leaves banded with pale and 
dark green. From Peru. [s.] 



62 

M. (c.) Makoyam'a (Makoy's). One of the largest and hand- 
somest species and which will well bear close examination ; what a 
cunning' artifice of nature to design upon the large blade of the leaf 
a branch composed of alternating large and small leaves, green above 
red on the underside, and this branch is painted on a background 
that resembles a woven fabric. [a. & s.] 

M. (c.) Massangtan'a (Massange's). From Brazil, [a. & s.] 

M. (c.) Mic'ans 'glittering). From Brazil. [s.] 

M. Por'teana (Porte's). Bright green on the upper side, striped 
with transverse lines of white, purple beneath. From Bahia. [a. & s.] 

M. (c.) Prin'ceps ( Prince). From Peru. Leaves metallic green 
with two yellow bands, purple beneath. [a.] 

M. (c.^i pulchel'Ia (pretty). From Brazil. Leaves bright green 
with two series of deep green blotches, alternately large and small. 

[S.] 

M. regal'e (royal). Dark green leaves with double parallel 
stripes of carmine. [s] 

M. (c.) rosea=pict'a (rose-colored). From upper Amazon. 

Leaves rose banded, purple beneath. • [a. & s.] 

M. sanguin'ea (bloody). [a.] 

M. (c.) Seeman'ni (Seemann's). From Nicaraugua. Leaves 

satiny emerald-green, midrib whitish. [s.] 

M. Smaragdin'a (emerald green). From Ecuador. Leaves 
emerald green with a dark green central stripe. [a.] 

M. (c.) splen'dida splendid). From Brazil. Leaves green, 
banded purple beneath. [s.] 

M. Spitzerian'a (Spitzer's). [s.] 

M. c. Van'den Heckei (Van den Heck's). From Brazil. Leaves 
deep green marked with gray. [a. & s.] 

M. (c.) Veit'chii (Veitch's). From Western Tropical America. 
Leaves green blotched. [a. & s.] 

M. (c.) Virginal'is (Virginal). From the Amazon, [a. & s.] 

M. (c.) Warzewic'zii (Warzewicz's). From Tropical Am- 
erica, [s.] 

M. (c.) Zebrin'a (zebra-like.) From Brazil. Leaves alternately 
dark and light green striped. [a. & s.] 



63 

THE DRAC/ENAS. 

These handsome foliage plants are too well known and too popu- 
lar to need an introduction to the reader ; they belong to the Lily 
family and are distributed over nearly the whole tropical world, form- 
ing many species to which cultivation has added many varieties. 
Only one of the species, Dracaena Draco, is recognized by the botan- 
ists of to day as being the Dracaena proper, all the others have been 
placed into different genera ; but the horticulturist and the public 
are still using the older designation which is therefore retained here. 
Dracaen'a Drac'o. The Dragon tree. (Drakaina, a female 
dragon ; the p^nt owes the name to the fact that, if it is wounded, 
a milky juice flows from the wound which on drying becomes a hard 
gum, having similar properties as the resinous substance called 
Dragon's Blood.) This is the tallest species of the Lily tribe with 
straight, column-like trunks which are surrounded from bottom to 
top with large dark leaves. The branching spikes of the rather 
small, liliaceous flowers can often be seen set obliquely at or near 
the top of the plant. The Dragon tree is famous from the immense 
specimen which grew on the island of Teneriffa, and was described 
in 1402 by the French adventurer Bethencourt, and 400 years later 
by Humboldt. It was blown down by a hurricane in 1S67 ; its age 
has been calculated as 5,000 years. [a. & s.] 

Dracaena amab'ile (amiable), a very pretty form with the 
upper leaves variegated with pink and white. [a. & s.] 

D. australis (Southern). [a.] 

D. Baptist'ii ^Baptist's), [a.] 

D. bel'la (beautiful). Leaves almost black. [s.] 

D. Brazilien'sis (Brazilian). [a. & s.] 

D. Bruantii (Bruant's). [s.] 

D. Dennison'ii (Dennison's). Has large, dark red leaves, the 
upper ones being brighter. [s.] 

D. ensifol'ia (sword-shaped leaves.). [a. & s.] 

D. frag'rans (fragrant). From Africa. [a. & s.] 

D. Goldiean'a (Goldie's). Leaves greyish with dark green 
transverse bands. South Africa. A very magnificent species. 

[a. & s.] 
D. gracilis (graceful;. [a.] 

D. Guilfoy lei (Guilfoyle's). [A.] 



64 
D. hy'brida (hybrid). Bright leaves, colored pink and green. 

[A. & s.] 
D. indivisa (undivided". [s.] 

D. Linden'ii (Linden's). Yellow leaves with green along the 
midrib. [a. & s.] 

D, porphyrophylla, leaves marked like porphyry. [a.] 

D. Seiboldii , Seibold's)-. [a.] 

D. Shephard'ii (Shephard's;. A large plant with purple edged 
leaves. [a. & s.] 

D. spectab'ilis (showy). [s.] 

D. stricta (straight). The leaves are dark red. [s.] 

D. terminal'is (terminaP. A fine plant with crimson leaves; 
from the East Indies. [a. & s.] 

D. umbracolif'era (umbrella-bearing). The leaves are dark 
green and very closely set ; they spread out horizontally with their 
edges turned down, giving the plant an umbrella-like appearance. 
From the island of Mauritius. [s.] 

D. Young'ii (Young's). A fine species with dark red leaves. 
Some other plants of the Lily family may well be grouped here ; 
such as 

Aspar'agus plumos'us nan'a (Sparasso, to tear; on account 
of the strong prickles of some species which are fatal to clothes ; 
plumosus, feathery ; na?ia, small). From South Africa, [a. & s.] 

Asparagus tenuis'simus (very narrow leaved). These two 
are very graceful relatives of the asparagus which we buy in the 
market (Asparagus officinalis ). Our florists use them in great quan- 
tities to interweave them in floral pieces and they are generally 
taken for ferns by the people. [a. & s.] 

Phorm'ium ten'ax, New Zealand Flax. (Phormos, a basket, 
title fibers being used for making baskets ; tenax, tough.) This inter- 
esting plant from New Zealand has sword-shaped leaves which 
grow in opposite rows and clasp each other at the base. The large 
flower spikes rise from the center of the leaves and attain consider- 
able height. The leaves contain a large quantity of strong 
fiber which is put to many uses by the natives ; but its separation 
from the plant is somewhat difficult, for this reason the New Zea- 
land flax has not attained yet any prominence as an article of 
€ v port. 



&5 

GRASSES. 

Some Grasses and Sedges are well adapted to be used as - 
foliage plants, indeed there are some of our own wild grasses which 
deserve attention for their natural beauty ; those we find in the con- 
servatories are the following : 

Dact'ylis glomerat'a, Cock's-foot grass. (Daktylos, a finger) 
A grass which grows wild in this country and in Europe and which 
is considered pretty enough to be cultivated in greenhouses. 

Gymnos'tichum Pier'cei (Gymnos, naked; stichos, rank"). 
This is a cultivated species of the Bottle-Brush grass. 

Pan'icum sulcat'um (probably from panis, bread). 

Panicum variegat'um (variegated). This is an especially 
pretty grass with leaves striped green and white and tinted pink ; 
an elegant plant to grow in baskets. (The Sedges will be mentioned 
among the aquatic plants). 



SPIDERWORTS. 

The Spiderworts are raised principally for their lustrous and 
prettily variegated foliage ; they need little care and often grow only 
too rapidly, spreading over rockeries or running over neighboring 
flower pots, striking root wherever there is the slightest chance, from 
which habit they have received the name "Wandering Jew." The 
botanical name, Tradescantia, was given in remembrance of J. Trad- 
escant, gardener to Charles I. The following species are found in 
the Conservatories, most of them among the rocks in Schenley Park 
Palm house. 

Tradescant'ia discolor (Two colored, the leaves being green 
above and purple beneath). This plant would not be taken at the 
first glance, to be a Tradescantia, its rigid, spirally arranged leaves 
resembling those of some Bromelias, but the flowers which, though 
not very conspicuous, peep curiously out from flattened bracts 
in the axils of the leaves, betray their relationship. It grows wild 
in South America. 

T. fuscat'a (^fuscous, refers to the dark hairy covering of the 
stem). Also from South America. 

T. repens (creeping). 

T. specios'a (showy). From Mexico. 



66 

T. velut'ina (velvety) and 

T. zebrin'a, striped with light green and reddish purple. From 
South America. 

T. Virgin'ica. Virginia Spiderwort, is the species so much 
grown in gardens on account of its pretty blue flowers ; it is found 
growing wild below Pittsburg along the Ohio river and is very com- 
mon in the South. 

Dichorisan'dra musa'ica (Dis, twice; chorizo, to part ; aner, 
anther; musaica, mosaic). This is another plant of the Spider- 
wort family ; its leaves are prettily marked and veined with yellow 
or white upon the dark green ground, while the under side is deep 
reddish purple. The flowers are of a beautiful azure blue. 



PINEAPPLE FAMILY. 

Several interesting plants of the Pineapple family are culti- 
vated on account of their brilliantly colored leaves, some also on ac- 
count of their handsome flowers. The most interesting to many 
visitors is 

Ananas'sa sativ'a, Pineapple. (jVauas, the name of the Pine- 
apple in its home in Peru ; sativa, cultivated.) The delicious flavor 
of the fruit of this plant has long ago been written about by travelers 
to South America. The first knowledge of it came to Europe in 
1558 through a monk who had visited Peru. A Huguenot priest, 
Jean de Lery, described it three hundred years ago as being of such 
excellence that the gods might luxuriate upon it and that it should 
only be gathered by the hands of Venus. The Pineapple is a 
biennial, ripening and finishing its growth in the second year. The 
fruit is produced on a short stem rising from the middle of a large 
rosette of leaves while the top of this stem is also crowned with 
rigid, spiny leaves. The fruit is the product of many flowers whose 
ovaries grow so closely together that they appear as one single cone- 
like mass. The Pineapple is now extensively cultivated not only in 
South and Central America and the West Indies but also in India 
and the East Indian Islands. Both conservatories. 

Billberg'ia zebrin'a (Named after the Swedish botanist, Bill- 
berg; zebrina, zebra -streaked). A plant with rigid leaves and 
elegant yellow or reddish, fragrant flowers. In their home in tropical 
America they grow upon trees. They are favorites with the people 
in South America and can be often seen hanging in windows or on 
balconies. [a.] 



6 ? 

Pitcairn'ia corallin'a. Coral plant. (Named after Dr. Pitcairn ; 
corallina, coral-red). This handsome plant, with long, narrow spiny 
leaves, produces a long spike of intensely scarlet flowers which has 
been compared with a branch of red coral ; it is a native of Colum- 
bia, [a. & s.] 

Tilland'sia utriculat'a. Air plant. (Named after Dr. Tillands ; 
utriculata, bladdery.) This is one of the most interesting of the air 
plants ; its leaves have a bottle-like cavity at the base which is 
capable of holding a considerable quantity of water, a most welcome 
provision for the thirsty wanderer ; it inhabits trees in the f rests of 
Jamaica. Another plant of this genus, Tillandsia usneoides, is 
known to most readers under the name of "Florida Moss ;" hanging 
from the trees in rich, silvery -gray, lace-like festoons, it looks indeed 
more like a moss than a relative of the bulky Pineapple ; but its 
flower betrays its botanical relationship. This Spanish moss is col- 
lected in great quantities and it furnishes excellent packing material ; 
it is also used as a substitute for horsehair. 

Tillandsia cyane'a (blue). This species and many others, for 
there is a great number of species of this genus, have thickish, strap- 
shaped leaves, growing in the form of a rosette from the center of 
which the flower-stalk arises, bearing a number of blue flowers. 
From Guatamala. [a.] 

Tillandsia zebrina also called splendens, is a handsome plant 
with stout leaves, cross-striped with alternate bands of light green 
and reddish brown. From French Guiana [a. & s.] 

Tillandsia tessellat'a has, as the name implies, tessellated or 
checkered leaves of green and yellow color. A synonym is Vrisia 
tassellata. From Brazil. [a.] 

Vries'ia musaic'a (named after Dr. De Vries, a Dutch botan- 
ist ; musaica, mosaic). The Vriesias are closely related to the Til- 
landsias ; they have flat leaves and bear the flowers in spikes, pro- 
tected by large, handsomely colored bracts. [s.] 

yGchme'a Maria? Regin'a? (aichme, a point, on account of the 
rigid points on the flower envelopes). A very handsome plant with 
rather long and stout leaves, arranged in a loose spiral rosette and 
the tips gracefully turned downward ; the large and showy flower- 
spike is closely covered with blue-tipped flowers. This species, the 
finest of the /Echmeas, is dedicated to Queen Mary. From Costa 
Rica. [a.] 



68 

Nidular'ium spectab' His (nidus, a nest; spectabilis, showy). 
The name refers to the nest-like rosette of the thickish leaves ; in 
the center of the rosette the leaves are tipped with bright red, giving 
the plant the appearance as if there were a flower in the middle. At 
blooming time a flower-stalk rises from the centre, bearing red 
flowers. These plants are also called Karatus. From Brazil, [a.] 



THE GINGER PLANTS. 

Zingiber officinal'e. Ginger. (Zingiberis, the Greek name, 
derived from the Sanskrit, in which language it means horn-shaped ; 
officinale, commercial). Every visitor is interested in this plant which 
furnishes such a peculiar spice of highly pronounced and character- 
istic taste and flavor. The plant is not very showy ; the leaves are 
arranged in two ranks on the stem, which they clasp with their sheath- 
ing bases ; the flowers are borne on cone-shaped spikes, thrown up 
from the rootstalk and protected by bracts. A peculiarity of the sta- 
mens is that the filaments reach beyond the anthers in the form of a 
beak. The most important part of the plant, however, is not visible ; 
it is the creeping underground stem or rhizome which yields the ginger 
of commerce. The plant is largely cultivated in the East and West 
Indies as well as in Africa and China. The "Best Preserved " ginger 
comes from the West Indies, that from China ranks next. The 
rhizomes, commercially called races, are prepared when the plant is 
about one year old ; they are cleaned and dried ; this is the ginger 
root we buy in the stores, With the various preserves, decoctions 
and beverages made from it the reader is probably well acquainted. 

Cost'us Malortiean'us ( Costus, is the ancient name ; Malor- 
tieanus, Malortie's). This beautiful plant belongs to the same fam- 
ily as the Marantas and Bananas ; it has rich, soft green leaves with 
fine parallel veins and when blooming bears a golden yellow flower. 

[s.] 

Amom'um cardamom'um. Cardamom. (From a, not ; and 
momus, impurity ; because it was considered to counteract poisons 
and prevent decay.) These aromatic herbs were used in embalm- 
ing, whence the word mummy. The cardamom seeds used for 
flavoring wines and spirits are derived from this and other species. 
Native of India. 



6o 

Hedych'ium coronar'ium ( Hedys, sweet ; chion, snow; in 
reference to the sweet scented snow-white flowers ; coronarium, a 
crown or garland). From the East Indies, a beautiful and fragrant 
flower. 

Curcul'igo recurvat'a ( Curculigo, a weevel ; the seeds have a 
beak like that beetle ; recurvata, turned-back leaves). This foliage 
plant with large grass-green, plaited leaves has been mentioned be- 
fore ; it comes from Bengal and thrives only too well in the green- 
house. It belongs to the Hypoxis family. Allegheny Conservatory 
has also a variegated specimen of this genus. 



ACANTHUS PLANTS. 

Many plants of the Acanthus family are distinguished by their 
square stems and beautiful foliage ; some are most elegant in shape 
while others are exquisitely colored. One of the species, Acanthus 
mollis, with most ornamental foliage, is said to have suggested the 
leaf ornament on the Corinthian column. Acanthus means spiny, 
some of the plants of this family being thistle-like in aspect. 

Sanchez'ia nob'ilis variegat'a (named after Joseph Sanchez, 
Professor of Botany in Cadiz). This beautiful plant can be seen in 
the picture representing a group of foliage plants ; the yellow veins 
and midrib in the bright green leaf make it very attractive ; it bears 
yellow flowers and is a native of Ecuador. 

Sanchezia macrophyl'la, (long-leaved ) is another fine speci- 
men recently brought into cultivation. 

Strobilan'thus Dyerian'a (Strobulus, a cone ; ant ho s, a 
flower ; on account of its cone-shaped flower-spike. Named after 
Dr. Dyer of the Kew Gardens in London). Do not fail to examine 
the peculiar tints of the leaves of this plant ; dark to light lavender 
with green veins, a combination, probably found in no other leaf. 

[s.] 

Fitton'ia Pearc'ei (named in honor of S. M. F. Fitton, author 
of "Conversations in Botany"). This plant with broad, bright 
green leaves and carmine veins is one of the prettiest of the small 
foliage plants. Not less attractive are 

Fittonia argyneur'a (silver-nerved) with silvery-white veins 
and 

Fittonia macrophyl'la (long-leaved.') 



70 

RueMia Devosian'a (named in honor of Jean Ruelle, botanist 
and physician to Francis I.). This plant has white flowers and 
most exquisitely marked leaves, the ground color being a rich 
velvety green, with whitish veins and purple beneath. 

Meyen'ia erect'a (named after M. Meyen) more commonly 
called 

Thunberg'ia erect'a (named after C. P. Thunberg, Professor 
in Upsala, who had visited Batavia and Japan). This genus contains 
many attractive plants a number of them climbing or twining and 
well adapted for floral baskets. The above species produces its 
beautiful flower nearly throughout the whole year. The corolla is 
deep blue with orange throat and yellow tubes. 

Eran'themum pulchel'lum (From erao , to love; anihos, a 
flower; pulchcllum, pretty). Indeed one of the prettiest of this 
genus, with blue flowers. 

Peris'trophe angustifol'ia (Peristrophe, turning round; be- 
cause the corolla is twisted so as to be upside down ; angustifolia, 
narrow-leaved). 

Thyrsacan'thus rut'ilans T/iyrse, a dense, pyramidal flower 
cluster; acani/ius, see above; rutilans, reddish). A handsome 
plant with bristle-pointed leaves and brilliant crimson flowers. Also 
known under the name Thyrsacanthus Schomburgkianus. 

The last five species should be placed more properly in the chap- 
ter on flowers, but are mentioned here in order not to separate them 
from the other plants of the Acanthus family. 



Grevil'lea robust'a (named after C. F. Greville, a patron of 
Botany.) A very popular and easily grown foliage plant with 
finely dissected and compound leaves, resembling some fern fronds. 
The Grevillias are natives of Australia and New Caledonia. They 
belong to the family Proteacea. 

Peperom'ia argyr'eya ( Piper, pepper ; omoois, similar, being 
closely related to the pepper plant; argyneura, silver veined). 
The Peperomias are well known and easily cultivated plants, admired 
for their shield -shiped, fleshy and prettily marked leaves. The 
above species has leaves which are bright green along the radiating 
veins while the spaces between are of a silvery gray. 



7i 
Peperomia microphyl'la (small -leaved). This is a Mexican 
species with small, usually whorled leaves. The Peperomias belong- 
to the Pepper family or Piperaceae. 

Sphaerog'yne latifolia, Turtle-back Plant. (Sphaira, a globe : 
<ryne, female, on account of the globular ovary ; latifolia, wide- 
leaved. ) This handsome foliage plant with peculiar and conspicu- 
ous venation and its rich color, dark green above and crimson purple 
beneath, is not easily overlooked by the visitor; its home is in Gui- 
ana, South America, where it is known under the name of Tococa. 
It belongs to the family of Melastomaceae. To the same family be- 
longs 

Cyanophyl'lum magnificum (Kya?ws, blue ; phyllon, leaf ). 
This is one of the grandest ornamental-leaved plants cultivated in the 
hot houses ; its large, five-nerved leaves are of a rich shaded green 
above and purple beneath. It comes, like the above, from tropical 
America. 

Nepeta glech'oma variegata, Ground Ivy. (Nepeta, an old 
Latin name, used by Pliny, probably derived from the Italian town 
of Nepi. ) What child does not know that everywhere present little 
vine, the Ground Ivy, a common weed in many countries and still it 
has been found worthy of a place among the rockeries of Schenley 
Park Palm house, simply because some gardener succeeded in caus- 
ing it to produce a mottled leaf, green and white ; but it fills its as- 
signed place very gracefully and for making pretty festoons over 
little projections of the rocks it is just the thing. It belongs to the 
Mint family. 



THE CR0T0N5. 

These are plants of the Spurge or Euphorbia family and some 
of them, as Croton tiglium, are known as the source of a valuable, 
but unpleasant drug, the Croton oil, which, I hope, the kind reader 
will never be called upon to take. Croton Eluteria furnishes 
another drug, the Cascarilla bark. The word Croton means a tick 
and refers to the appearance of the seed. The Crotons proper fur- 
nish few species worthy of cultivation ; the plants so numerously 
found in most of our green houses belong to the closely allied genus 
Codiaeum. Still as Croton is the name used by the florists as well 
as by nearly all other people except botanists, it is retained here. 



72 

The influence of cultivation and artificial stimulation of plants to 
induce them to vary from their natural form is in few cases more 
strikingly illustrated as in the Crotons. The natural species of this 
genus which are found widely distributed in the tropics, are only at- 
tractive on account of their thrifty, shiny, leathery foliage with a ten- 
dency to vary from their dark green to rich hues of brown, red and 
yellow. Cultivation by planting seeds and cuttings, selecting such 
with prominent new features of color and form, has led to the pro- 
duction of many varieties, distinguished from each other by differ- 
ence in color, markings and shades, difference in the shape of the 
leaf from the simple outline to variously lobed margins, from smooth 
and flat blades to such with crimped edges and completely spiral 
twisted forms. Thus the Crotons have become favorite foliage 
plants and they are interesting as they show how man can become 
creative if he studies nature closely and follows her hints. 

The following is a list of all the Crotons cultivated in the Con- 
servatories at the time of this writing: they are mostly varieties de- 
rived from a few species and the majority may be referred to Codi- 
seum pictum. The name Codiaeum is derived from Codebo, the 
Malayan name of one of the species. 

CROTON (CODI/EUM). 

Andraean'um, [a. & s. 

Aucubasfol'ium (Aucuba-leaved). [a. & s. 

Aneitinnen'se. [a. 

Aurea=maculat'a (golden spotted). [s. 

Bergmann'ii. [s. 

Bismarck. [a. 

Caudat'us=tor'tiIis (twisted-tail). [s. 

Challenger. [s. 

Cornut'um (horned). [a. 

Compte de Germiny. [s. 

Cronstadt'ii. [s. 

Earl of Derby. [s. 

Eburn'eum (ivory-white ). [A. 

El'egans. [a. 

Evansian'um. [s. 

Fasciat'um (bundled . [s. 



73 

Goldiei. [a.] 

Hanburyan'um. [s.] 

Hillean'um. [a.] 

Hookerian'um. [a. & s.] 

Inimitab'ilis. [ s ] 

Interrupt'um. [a. & s.] 

Irregular'e. [s.] 

James'ii. [ s ] 

Johannes. [a] 

Lady Zetland. [s.] 

La Dame Blanche. [a.] 

Lancifol ium. [s] 

Lord Cairns. [a. & s] 

Macarthur'ii. [a.] 

Magnificum. [a. & s.] 

Makoyam'a. [s.j 

Majes'ticum. [a. & s.] 

Max'imum. [a.] 

Morean'a. [a.] 

Mort'ii. [a. & s.] 

Multi=color (many-color). [a. & s.] 

Nes'tor. [a. & s.] 

Nobil'is. [s.] 

Ovalifolium. [s] 

Pict'um (painted). [a] 

Picturat'um (painted). [a.] 

Prince of Wales. [s.] 

Proemors'um. [a.] 

Queen Victoria. [a. & s.] 

Regale. [s.] 

Rex. [a.] 

Rosea=picta. [s.] 

Spiralis. [a. & s.] 

Splendens. [s.] 

Sunbeam. [s.] 



74 

TriloDum (three-lobed ). L A -] 

Undulat'um (wavy). [a. & s.] 

Variabilis. [s.] 

Variegat'um. [s.] 

Veit'chii. [a. & s.] 

Victory. [a.] 

Warren'ii [s.] 

SVeisman'nii. [a. & s.] 

Young'ii [a. & s.] 
As will be seen, most of these forms are named after persons 

and the meaning of the other species names is so evident that no 
definition is necessary. Some of the characteristic leaves are shown 
in the adjoining picture. 



List of Croton Leaves Represented in the Illustrations on 

Page 75. 



Croton Cronstadtii. 6. Croton Queen Victoria. 

" Hookerianum. 7. " Compte de Germiny. 

" Rosea picta. 8. " Mortii. 

" Challenger. 9. " Splendida. 

" Earl of Derby. 10. " Aurea maculata. 



n 




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ORCHIDS. 




Vanda tricolor var. Pattersoni, 

Allegheny Conservatory. 

(See page 90) 



Orchids. 



Of all strange and odd plants the oddest are the Orchids, and 
with all their oddity they are beautiful. They are fashionable now 
as a flower for the personal adornment of our fair ladies and they 
are becoming more so, and the young admirer who can afford to 
present his admired one with a spray of orchids, is pretty sure of a 
sweet smile of gratitude. With the flower fanciers the Orchids take 
the place now which the tulips and the roses took in former times ; 
owners of Orchidaries, if I may be permitted to coin such a word, 
are vying with each other to get the choicest and rarest collection, 
and high prices are paid for new .species and striking varieties. The 
rare tulips, for the possession of which fortunes were offered and in- 
trigues were spun, were the result of skilful breeding by the cunning 
Dutch florist; the Orchids, however, which bring the highest 
prices, are new species discovered by the Orchid hunter. 

A peculiar, fascinating and not seldom dangerous occupation 
it must be, that of and Orchid hunter. He must penetrate 
the darkest recesses of the Brazilian Selvas, to scan with his 
field glass the highest branches of the trees in order to discover 
the beautiful epiphytes (air plants) ; for many of these plants, not 
being able to get sufficient sunlight and pure air on the darkly 
shaded ground, have made themselves at home in the lofty crowns 
of the trees, where they seem to sit, turning their butterfly-like 
flowers toward the blue sky, while the long, fibrous roots hang 
down like long fringes, absorbing the moisture which rises from be- 
low. During the lainy season they are rich in foliage and pro- 
duce their wondrous flowers, but during the dry season they often 
shrivel into a heap of apparently dead sticks and branches ; life, 
however, is not extinct ; many species have thickened joints of 
stems, so called pseudo bulbs (false bulbs) at the base, which are 
able to contain moisture and nourishment for a long time and which 
give the plant a vigorous start as soon as the drouth is over. Even 
after such a prize is discovered, it is often with the greatest difficulty 
and at the risk of life and limb that the hunter can obtain it ; he 
must be an expert tree climber to take the Dendrobioms, Epiden- 



82 

drums, Laelias, Cattleyas from their lofty seats ; he must be a ven- 
turesome mountaineer to wend and work his way over crag and cliff 
in the wildest part of the Andes mountains where the Lycastes, Mas- 
devallias, Oncidiums and Anguloas have their abode ; he must have 
nerve to penetrate the dark and darkest Africa, where rare and new 
forms may be his reward. The islands of the Indian ocean, India 
and the Malay peninsula, though much explored, may still harbor 
some strange and unknown species. 

The plants collected are carefully packed in moss and sent to 
England, where the packages are eagerly examined by the con- 
signees. Alas, too many of the precious plants do not survive the 
voyage ; especially of those who had to be carried for days and 
weeks on mule-backs before reaching a railroad or the seaboard. 
But if only a spark of life is apparent, the greatest care is taken to 
save the specimen. 

While we enjoy the sight of the beautiful Orchids, we cannot 
help thinking it a great pity that so many of the lovely plants should 
be ruthlessly torn from their native soil and sometimes none left to 
reproduce the species in its home. It is a fact that some of the 
species cultivated in conservatories are no longer found in a wild 
state. Even some of our own native Orchids, such as Cypripedium 
spectabile, the Showy- Lady- Slipper, formerly plentifully found in 
marshy places in Pennsylvania, is getting scarce because florists pay 
a good price for the roots. 

But why should the plants of this family be so highly prized 
and so much sought after ? Partly, no doubt, on account of their 
rarity and their peculiar habits of growth ; but not less on account 
of the strange forms of their flowers and their beautiful colors. 

The ground plan of the flower of the Orchid is not different 
from that of other flowers of the endogenous class. There is a peri- 
anth or floral envelope of six divisions, three of them may be called 
the calyx and are generally alike in shape and color ; the other, 
inner, three represent the calyx and of these one is always different 
from the other two ; often very much so in color as well as in shape ; 
it is called the lip or label] um and has sometimes on its posterior 
end a tube or spur called the nectarium, because it generally con- 
tains honey. In the accompanying pictures of Orchids as well as 
in the specimens in the Conservatories, when in flower, the reader 
will have no difficulty to distinguish these parts. The lip may be 
found on the upper and back part of the flower or it forms the lower 



83 
and front part ; in the latter case it will always be found that the 
flower-stalk or pedicil has a twist, giving the flower a half turn and 
thus bringing the lip to the front. Instead of having six stamens 
as the lily and many other of that class, the Orchid has only one, 
in the Cypripediums two — and it is attached to the style of the pistil, 
forming with it the " column " ; the stigma is on this column below 
the stamen and the arrangement is such that it is impossible for most 
Orchids to fertilize themselves, that is to spread the pollen upon the 
stigma. But if an insect, a wasp for instance, visits the plant to get 
honey, the two pollen bags of the stamen, being provided with a 
sticky disk, stick to its head ; the wasp flies off with its unwelcome 
ornament, which looks like two plumes, and on entering the next 
flower, those bags, having meanwhile changed their positions, run 
right against the stigma, which with its sticky surface, tears the mass 
and becomes provided with the fertilizing pollen. 

If any reader should like to learn more about this wonderful ar- 
rangement, he should read Darwin's book " On the Fertilization 01 
Orchids by Insects." 

We are not without Orchids in this country ; our Moccason 
plants or Lady Slippers, Cypripedium acaulis, and Cypripedium 
pubescens, both of which may be found in this county, are 
scarcely inferior to those generally found in green houses and how 
Cypripedium spectabile is sought after has already been mentioned ; 
besides, we may find Orchis spectabilis in our woods and sweet- 
scented Ladies' Tresses (Spiranthes) in moist meadows as well as 
other less conspicuous members of the family. 

As useful plants the Orchids do not rank high. A drug called 
salep is prepared from the starchy root of several species ; it is used 
as a nervine restorative and fattener ; but much more important is 
the climbing Orchid Vanilla aromatica and planifolia, the plants 
which yield the pod, called Vanilla bean, furnishing the most delicious 
flavoring substance known, as young lovers of vanilla ice cream will 
gladly testify. 

The species of Orchids are almost innumerable, between 4,000 
and 5,000 are named and known; the botanists divide them into a 
number of tribes of which only those will be mentioned here which 
have representatives in the in the Conservatories. 

Mr. Hamilton of Allegheny Conservatory prides himself on his 
large and fine collection, and well he may, for it contains many and 
most beautiful forms. While the majority bloom in winter and early 



84 

spring, the season which used to be summer for them when they 
were at their home in th ; Southern hemisphere, visitors can find 
some fine specimens in flower whenever they take a walk through 
the narrow, but lovely passage of the Orchid house and some habi- 
tues visit this department every week in order to enjoy every flower 
as they unfold one after another. Schenley Park Conservatory has 
a good collection and more will be added as means and opportunity 
will permit. 

To describe every species would take a book alone ; only a list 
can be given here with casual remarks. 



TRIBE EPIDENDRAE. 

TREE ORCHIDS. 

The name of this tribe is derived from two Greek words, epi, 
upon ; and dendron, a tree ; bee mse most of these orchids grow on 
trees; they are, however, not parasites, taking their nourishment 
from the substance of the tree, but epiphytes, using the branches of 
trees simply as support and getting their nourishment from the air. 

Many of the finest Orchids belong to this tribe which is divided 
into several genera. 

Epiden'drum. The genus of this name contains over four 
hundred species, mo-t of them small and medium size. The lip of 
the flower has a spreading limb (upper part) and its claw adheres to 
the column, the base of which has a long, deep hollow. They are 
found in the forests of South America, Central America, Mexico and 
the West Indies. The following are some of the finest- species : 
Epiden'drum aloifolium (aloe leaved). [a] 

E. aur'eum (golden). [a.] 

E. caloch'ilum (beautifully lipped) [a.] 

E. ciliar'e (fringed). [a.] 

E. cinnabar'ium (cinnabar-red). [a.] 

E. cochleat'um (spiral). [a, & s.] 

E. falcat'um (sickle-shaped). [a.] 

E. frag'rans (fragrant). [a.] 

E. Vittelin'um (colored like the yelk of an egg). [a.] 



85 
Cattleya (named after Mr. Cattley a distinguished patron of 
botany). To this genus belong many of the largest and handsom- 
est Orchids which have justly become popular and are cultivated in 
all first class nurseries. The Cattleyas generally have the lowest 
joint of their stems thickened into a pseudo-bulb ; sometimes this 
joint is club-shaped. Some have a single leaf on the top of each 
stem, others have two or three. The flowers are scarcely surpassed 
by any other Orchid in size and brilliancy of color. They rise from 
the top of a pseudo-bulb and are enclosed in a sheath. The stamen 
has four pollen masses. 

Cattley 'a Aclan'diae. [a.] 

C. amethys'tina (amethyst-colored). [a.] 

C. amethystoglos'sa (amethyst-tongue). [a.] 

C. Alexandra. [a.] 

C. aur'ea (golden). [a.] 

C. Bouringian'a. [s.] 

C. Chocoen'sis. [a.] 

C. citrin'a (citron-flowered), [a.] 

C. Dowian'a, Ta.] 

C. Eldorad'o. [a.] 

C. Gaskellian'a. [a.] 

C. gigas (gigantic). [a.] 

C. granulos'a (granulated-lipped). [a.] 

C. guttat'a (spotted). [a.] 

C. guttata Leopoldii. [a.] 

C. intermed'ia (intermediate). [a.] 

C. Iabiat'a (lipped). j A. & s.] 

C. Leean'a. [a.] 

[A.] 

[A.] 

[A. & S.] 

[a. & s.] 

[A.] 
[S.] 
[A.] 
[A.] 



c. 


max'ima (largest). 


c. 


Mendel'ii 


c. 


Mos'siae. 


c. 


Mossiae Victoriae. 


c. 


Percivalian'a 


r 


Schillerian a. 


c. 


Skin'neri. 


c. 


Trian'ae. 




Cattleya Skinneri. 

(Orchid) 

Allegheny Conservatory. 



87 

Cattleya, Trianae formosa. [a.] 

C. Walkerian'a. [a.] 

C. War'neri. [a.] 

C. Warscewic'zii delicata. [a.] 

LaeJia, the vestal virgin, has been given a place among the 
Orchids ; no doubt the loveliness and delicacy of the flowers of this 
group has suggested that name. The Laelias are closely allied to 
the Cattleyas, from which they are distinguished by having eight 
pollen masses to their stamens. They are found from Mexico to 
Brazil. 

Lasl'ia anceps (two-edged . [a. & s.] 

L. autumnal is (autumnal.. [s.] 

L. acuminat'a (pointed-lipped). [a.] 

L. Dayan'a. [a ] 

L. peduncular'is. [a.] 

L. Perrin'ii. [s.] 

L. purpurat'a. [a. & s.] 

Dendrobium ; this name means also living upon a tree ; the 
plants of this genus are distinguished by their tall, slender, jointed 
stems, often resembling a reed ; some have pseudo bulbs. Some 
species produce large, delicately tinted flowers and some have a 
delicious odor. The lip is more or less contracted into a claw, lying 
upon or attached to the front of the column. They are natives of 
India, Japan and Australia. 

Dendrobium bi=gib'bum, double spurred. [s.] 

D. Bullerian'um. [.a] 
D. calceolaria, slipper-like. [s.] 
D. calceol'us. [a.] 
D. Cambridgian'um, Duke of Cambridge. [a.] 
D. chrysan'thum, golden flowered. [a.] 
D. chrysoton'um, golden-arched. [a.] 
D. coerules'cens, sky-blue. [a.] 
D. crassinod'e, thick-knotted. [a.] 
D. Dalhousian um. [a.] 
D. Dear'ei. [a.] 
D. densiflorum, dense-flowered. [a.] 



88 

D. Devonian'um. [a.] 

D. Far'meri. LA.] 

D. Falconer'i. [a] 

D. fimbriat'um, fringed. [a.] 

D. formo3um=gigan'teum, beautiful, large. [a.] 

D. infundib'ulum, funnel-shaped. [a.] 

D. Jamesian'um. [s] 

D. moschat'um. [s ] 

D. nob'ile. [s.] 

D. Pharish'ii. [s] 

D. Phalaenop'sis. [a.] 

D. Pierar'dii. [a.] 

D. Schroed'eri. [s.] 
D. Thyrsiflor'um. [a. & s.] 

D. Wardian'um. [a.] 

Barker'ia el'egans (named after G. Barker an ardent cultiva- 
tor of Orchids). From Mexico. 
B. Skin'neri. 

Blet'ia grandiflor'a (named after Don Louis Blet a Spanish 
botanist). 

B. Shepher'dii. 
B. Tunkervil'lia. 

These are terrestial Orchids from the West Indies. 

Broughton'ia sanguin'ea (named after the English botanist, 
Broughton ; sangtdnea, blood-red). From the West Indies. 

Brassavol'a glauc'a (named after Brassavole, an Italian bot- 
anist). 

B. Sanderian'a. 

B. acaul'is. These are from Central America. 

Coelog'yne flac'cida (from koilos, hollow ; gyne, female, in 
reference to the pistil ; flaccida, drooping". [a. & s.] 

C. cristata al'ba (white-crested). [a.] 
C. specios'a, showy. L s -1 
They are natives of India, Southern China and the Malayan 

Archipelago. 



Chys'is bractes'cens (from chysis, melting, from the fused ap- 
pearance of the pollen masses ; bractescens, having bracts). From 
Guatamala. 

Masdeval'lia maculat'a (named after J. Masdeval, a Spanish 
botanist ; maculata, spotted). The Masdevallias are small epiph- 
ytes, remarkable for the singularity of their flowers ; they are found 
at considerable heights in the Andes mountains. 

M. liarryan'a. 




PHAIUS WALLICHII. 

Schenley Park Conservatory. 

Phaius (from phaios, shining ; so named on account of the 
bright colors of the flowers).' This genus contains fine, tall, terres- 
tial plants with beautiful flowers. They grow in tropical Asia and 
on the islands of the Indian ocean. The leaves are plaited, the 
flower-stalk erect, the lip is funnel-shaped. 



go 

Phaius grandifol'ius (the finest of the species). [s.] 

P. Humboldttii. [a.] 

P. macran'tha (large-flowered). [a.] 

P. maculat us (spotted). [s.] 

P. Tunkervillei. [a.] 

P. Wallich ii. [s.] 

P. tuberculos'is (tubercled) [s.] 

Platyclin'is glumacea (from platys, broad ; and dim's, a 
couch). A small but elegant Orchid with fragrant greenish white 

flowers. From the Philippine islands. [a.] 

Sophronit'is grandiflora (from sophrona, modest). A small 
Orchid with rather 1 irge scarlet flowers. From the Organ moun- 
tains. 



TRIBE VANDAE. 

Vanda is the Indian name. The plants of this tribe are mostly 
epiphytal, that is growing upon trees ; many of them belong to 
tropical America and Asia, few to Africa. One of the distinctions 
between this tribe and the Epidendrae is that in the latter the ceils 
of the anthers are separate while in the former they flow together. 
There are also differences in the general aspect which enables one to 
readily distinguish the plants of the two tribes ; the two ranked leaf 
arrangement of many of the Vanda tribe is one of these character- 
istics. Darwin speaks of the Vandae as " the most remarkable of 
all orchids." In some genera they assume the most curious forms, 
resembling insects of various kinds, birds, etc. The genus Vanda 
contains a number of magnificent species, noble in form with flowers 
of exquisite beauty. 

Vanda gigan'tea (gigantic). [a.] 

V. suavis (sweet) [a.] 

V. tricolor' planilab'ris (three-colored, flat-lipped). [a.] 
V. tricolor' Pattersoni. [a.] 

A picture of this Orchid is shown on page 80. The hand- 
some flower, the two-ranked leaf arrangement and the aerial roots 
should be noticed ; although an air plant it is placed in a pot for 
convenience ; the pot contains no earth, but only moss and frag- 
ments of flower pots. 



9i 
Aerides. This genus has its name from aer, air, in reference to 
the fact that the plants belonging to it are all air plants. They re- 
semble the Vandas and have like them the leaves in two ranks. 
Aer'ides crassifol'ium (thick-leaved). [a.] 

A. expansum Leon'iae. [a.] 

A. Fielding'ii. [a.] 

A. Lob'bii. [a.] 

A. odoratum (fragrant\ [a.] 

Angraec'um Sanderian'um, Angurek, Jie Malayan name for 
air plant. 

A. eburn'eum. [a.] 

A. sesquipet'ale. [a.] 

Anguloa Clowesii, named after the Spanish naturalist A ngulo. 
This species is found in the Andes of Columbia at a height of 5,000 
to 6,000 feet. 

Ada auranti'aca. The first name of this pretty Orchid was 
probably given as a compliment to a pretty young lady of the same 
name ; aurantiaca, orange colored. A native of the Andes of 
Columbia, where it is found at the height of 8,500 feet. [s.] 

Bras'sia verrucos'a, named after the Orchid collector Wm. 
Brass ; vrerucosa, warty. A picturesque plant from Guatamala. 

[a. & s. 

Burlington'ia pubes'cens, named af.er the amiable and accom- 
plished Countess of Burlington ; pubescens, downy. [a.] 

Calan'the Regnier'i, from kalos, beautiful ■ and anthos, a 
flower. From Cochin China. [s.] 

C. rose'a, synonym for Limatodis rosea. [s.] 

C. vestita, clothed ; from Burmah. Of this species there 
exist many varieties. [a.] 

C. vestita var. lutea, yellow. [s.] 

C. vestita var. rubra, red. [s.] 

Cataset'um tridendatum. From kata, downward and seta, 
a bristle ; referring to the two horns of the column ; tridendatum, 
three-toothed. A fine Orchid with flowers four inches in diameter. 

[A.] 

Cochliod'a sanguin'ea, from Cochlion, a little snail ; san- 
guinea, blood red. [s.] 



Q2 

C. vulcan'ica. These plants used to be called 

Mesospinidium, sanguineum and vulcanicum. 

Coryan'thes macran'tha, from korys, a helmet ; and a?ithos, 
a flower, in reference to the shape of the lip ; macrantha, large 
flowered. A very curious but handsome Orchid. 

Cyrtopod'ium punctat'um, from kyrtos, curved ; and pons, 
a foot, alluding to the shape of the lip ; punctatum, spotted. From 
Brazil. 

Cymbid'ium eburn'eum. From kymbe, a boat, referring to 
the boat shaped lip; eburneum, ivory. A large and handsome 
Orchid, deliciously fragrant. From the East Indies. [a. & s.] 

C. gigan'teum, from India, a large flowered species. [s.] 
C. Lowian'um, from Burmah. [s] 

C. pen'dulum, from Nepaul. [a.] 

Lycaste, called after Lycaste the beautiful daughter of Priam. 

A genus of ornamental and mostly sweet-scented orchids. They are 

natives of Mexico and Central America. 

Lycaste aromat'ica. [a.] 

L. Harrison'iae. [a] 

L. Skinneri, one flowered species from which many handsome 

varieties have been produced. [a.] 

Miltonia cuneat'a, named after Viscount Milton, afterwards 

Earl Fitz-William. A beautiful Orchid with a wedge-shaped lip ; 

the flower nearly four inches in diameter. [a.] 

M. spectab'ilis moreliana. [s.] 

Maxillar'ia, from maxilla, the jaws of an insect, which the col- 
umn and lip resemble. They are natives of tropical America. 

M. aromatica. [a.] 

M. Harrisoniae. [a.] 

M. tenuifolia, narrow-leaved. [a.] 

Mor'modes pardinum, from mormo, a goblin, referring to the 
strange appearance of the flowers : pardinum, panther spotted. 
From Mexico. Allied to Catasetum. [s.] 

Odontoglossum, from odous, a tooth ; and glossa, a tongue, re- 
ferring to the tooth-like processes of the lip. This genus contains 
over one hundred species of interesting and handsome Orchids. The 



93 

flowers have spreading sepals ; the lip is variously toothed and 
crested and its base is parallel with the long and narrow column. 
These Orchids inhabit the Andes of tropical America. 

Odontoglos'sum citros'mum, lemon-scented. [a. 

O. Clowesii. [a. 

O. cordat'um, heart-shaped-lipped. [a. 

O. crisp'um, curled. [a. & s. 

O. grand'e. [a." 

O. Hallii. [a. 

O. Ins'leayi. [a. 

O. Leisden'i. [a. 

O. Lindleyan'um. [a. 

O. nevaden'se. [a. 

O. Pescator'is. [a. & s. 

O. Phalaenop'sis, moth-like [a. 

O. pulchelium, pretty. [a. 

O. Roezli. [a. 

O. Rossii. [a." 

O. tigrin'um, tiger-spotted. [a. 

O. vexillar'ium, standard. [a. 

Oncidium, from oncos, a tumor, referring to the warty crest at 
the base of the lip. This genus has nearly 300 species that are 
known, many of the oddest shape, imitating butterflies and other in- 
sects. Some of these species are found at great height in the 
Andes, close to the limits of perpetual snow. 

Oncidium albo=violaceum, white violet. [a.] 

O. altis'simum, highest. [a.] 

O. amplicat'um, broad-lipped. [a.] 

O. Cavendishian'um. [a. & s.] 

O. ciliat'um, fringe-lipped. [a.] 

O. con'color, one colored. [a.] 

O. cris'pum, curled. [a.] 
O. omentum, bloody. 

O. cuneat'um, wedge-shaped-lipped. [a.] 

O flexuos'um. [a.] 



94 

O. fuscat'um. [s.] 

O. Kramerian'um. [s.] 

O. incur'vum. [s.] 

O. Jonesian'um [a] 

O Lancean'um. [a.] 

O. leopardin'um, leopard-spotted. [a.] 

0. long'ipes, long stalked. [a.] 

O. Iur'idum, lurid. [a.] 

O. Limin'gii. [a.] 
O. ornithorhyn'chum, bird's bill. [a. & s.] 
O. Papilio=rnajus, butterfly plant. [a. & s.] 

O. Phalaenop'sis, moth-like. [a.] 

O. pulchel'lum, pretty. [a.] 

O. sarcodes, flesh-like. [a.] 

0. sphacelat'um, scorched. [a.] 

O. splend idum. [a.] 

O. tigrin'um. [a.] 

O. verrucos'um, warty. [a.] 

Perister'ia elat'a, Dove flower, from Peristera, a dove ; data, 
tall. The column of the flower of this Orchid has two wing-like ap- 
pendages, giving the center of the blossoms some resemblance to a 
dove. In South America it is called " Flor del Espiritu Sante." 
Flower of the Holy Ghost. [a. & s.] 

Phalsenop'sis, the Moth Orchid ; from phalaina, a moth ; and 
opsis, resemblance. Some of the most exquisite Orchids belong to 
this genus and some species, especially when seen at dusk, may in- 
deed be taken for beautiful moths. They are natives of the Malayan 
Archipelago and Eastern India. 

Phalaenop'sis amab'ilis, lovely; flowers white, sometimes 
five inches in diameter. [a.] 

Ph. grandiflor'a, large flowered. [a.] 

Ph. Schillerian'a, has beautiful rose-colored flowers and spot- 
ted leaves. [a.] 

Pilum'na frag'rans, Cap Orchid, from pileus, a cap, to which 
the flower has some resemblance. Also called Trichopilea Candida. 

[A.] 



95 
Rodriguez'ia secund'a, named after the Spanish physician and 
botanist Em. Rodriguez ; sccunda, side-flowering. From Trinidad. 

[s.] 
Saccolab'ium Blum'ei, from saccus, a bag ; and labiitm, a lip, 
alluding to the baggy lip. From the East Indies. [a.] 

5. curvifol'ium, curved-leaved ; has cinnabar-red flowers. 

[A.] 

S. viclac'ium, violet, has large showy flower clusters, [a.} 

Scuticar'ia Steelii, from scutica, a whip, alluding to the shape 
of the leaves. From British Guiana. [a.] 

Stanhop'ea aur'ea, named in honor of Earl Stanhope ; a de- 
liciously fragrant Orchid with golden yellow flowers. [a.] 

Stanhopea Martiana, a magnificent flower. [s.] 

Zygopeta'Ium Mackay'i, from zygos, a yoke ; and petalon, a 
petal. Large yellowish green flowers, spotted with purple From 
Brazil. [a. & s.] 



TRIBE NEOTTIAE. 

This tribe Ins its name from neottia, a birds nest, from the inter- 
lacing of the numerous fibrous roots ; they are all terestrial and have 
no pseudo bulbs. 

Goodyer'a discolor, named in honor of John Goodyer a British 
botanist ; discolor, two-colored. From South America. [a.] 

Goodyera pubescens and repens, popularly called " Rattle- 
snake Plantain," are not rare in the mountains of this State. 

Sobral'ea macran'tha, named after the Spanish botanist 
Sobral ; macrant/ia, large flowered. A very large-flowered, crim- 
son, aromatic Orchid from Mexico. [a.] 

Vanilla Phalasnopsis, Vanilla plant. From the Spanish 
vainilla, a little sheath, in allusion to the shape of the fruit ; Phal<z- 
nopsis, moth-like. This is a climbing Orchid from Madagascar. 
Tnere are about twenty species of Vanilla, the fruit of several of them 
is used on occount of its delicious flavor, but Vanilla plaivfolia fur- 
nishes the best quality of Vanilla. [\ ] 



96 

TRIBE CYPRIPEDIUM. 

The name of this interesting tribe is derived from kypris, 
Venus ; and podioji, a slipper, the common name being Lady's 
Slipper, also Moccasson plant. The plants of this tribe are distin- 
guished from the other Orchids by having two stamens, one on each 
side of the column, while the one, middle stamen, which is pres- 
ent in other Orchids, is here modified into a shield-like plate. The 
lip forms a large inflated pouch, from this the plant received its name. 
Bees and other insects which crawl into this pouch in search of 
honey, find much difficulty in making their way out again because 
the shield mentioned above, bars their way ; in their efforts to extri- 
cate themselves they can hardly fail to get in contact with the 
stigma, which is situated under the shield, and if the insect has been 
vis' ting another plant of this kind before, it will be fraught with 
pollen and thus cause the fertilization of the stigma. In making 
its exit at last, the insect must squeeze itself through an opening near 
the stamens and becomes charged with more pollen, which may do 
good service in the next Orchid visited. This is only one of the 
many instances where the flowers exact service from the insects for 
providing them with sweet nourishment. 

It should be mentioned yet that in the Cypripediums two 
sepals of the calyx are grown into one, generally standing erect or 
arched back of the column, while the third sepal is below the pouch- 
like lip. On each side of the lip is a petal, these are often narrow 
and long, sometimes curiously hairy or warty. 

The visitor should not fail to closely examine the various forms 
of this peculiar tribe, of which they will find a very fine collection in 
the Conservatories. The following is the list. 

Cypriped'ium Argus. [a.] 

C. barbat'um, bearded. [a. & s.] 

C. barbatum nigrum. [a.] 

C. Boxal'lii. [a. & s.] 

C. caricin'um, sedge-like. [a.] 

C. caudat'um, tailed. [a. & s.] 

C. Chamberlainian'um. [a. & s.] 

C. Dayan'um. [s.] 

C. Dominian'um. [a.] 

C. Harrisian'um. [a. & s.] 



97 
C. Haynaldian'um. [s.] 

C. hirsutis'simum, very hairy. [a. & s.] 

C. insig'ne, remarkable. [a. & s.] 
C. Japon'icum, Japanese. [s.] 

C. Lawrencian'um (see picture). [a. & s.] 
C. laevigat'um, smooth. [s.] 

C. longifol'ium, long-leaved. [a.J 

C. Parish'ium. [s.] 

C. Roeziii. [a.] 

C. Seden'ii. [a.] 

C. Spicerian'um. [a. & s.] 

C. venus'tum, beautiful. [a. & s.] 

C. villosum. [a. & s.] 
Nearly all of these species are from India, the Malayan Archi- 
pelago or the Philippine Islands. 





CYPRIPEDIUM LAWRENCIANUM. 

Schenley Park Conservatory. 




Cyclamen Fersicum. 

(Persian Violet.) 

Schenley Park Conservatory. 

(See page 105) 



LofC 



IOO 



SCHENLEY PARK 

Livery, Boardinq and Sales 

STABLES. 



All Kinds of Traps, Etc., for Park Driving. Carriages for Weddings, 
Receptions, Shopping, Etc. 



Victor G. Wilsoa, 



3994 Forbes Street. 



TELEPHONE 4-016. 



Near Fark Entrance, 



ft LONG FELT NEED SUPPLIED. 



Have You Tried ? 

The Columbian Noiseless Rub- 
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corns and all ailments caused by 
the hard streets. These Pads pre- 
vent a horse from slipping and are 
the only safe way for shoeing high 
knee acting horses. 




<^>For Sale and Put On 



•~ W.J. MOORE, 

Oakland Avenue, 



Agent for Spelterine 
Hoof Stuffing. 



Pittsburgh, Pa. 



TELEPHONE 4096. 



THE FLOWERS. 



The Flowers. 



Nothing has contributed so much to make the Conservatories 
popular as the Floral Exhibits varying from month to month. Mr. 
Hamilton's Chrysanthemum shows at Allegheny Conservatory have 
long enjoyed the reputation of being among the finest in the country ; 
but Schenley Park Conservatory with its two spacious wings devoted 
to exhibitions, has made a floral .display possible, which in tasteful 
arrangement of details and grand totality is simply magnificent. 

To see a beautiful flower is a thing of pleasure, but to see thous- 
ands of them massed together, filling a large house with glowing 
color and often also sweet fragrance, makes upon the beholder an 
almost overwhelming impression. And such floral feasts are now in 
store for the visitor of the Conservatory every month in the year. 

Although it may be said that in a greenhouse there is perpetual 
summer, the flowers have their regular seasons for blooming, some- 
what in keeping with the blossoming time in the native home of the 
plants ; taking advantage of this fact it is possible for the managers 
to present to the public gaze dissolving views of ever varying splen- 
dor — to weave a floral wreath around the year. 

Superintendent Bennett has outlined a flower calendar which 
will indicate what will be the prominent features in the exhibition 
houses from season to season ; the programme is certainly full of in- 
terest and promise and should induce flower lovers to pay visits to 
the Conservatory at regular intervals, so as not to miss a single part 
of this delightfnl procession of Flora's loveliest children. 



CALENDAR OF FLORAL EXHIBITS. 

January will be greeted by the Cyclamens in their fullest 
glory ; the Cyclamen exhibit last. winter was a revelation to many a 
visitor; few of them had ever seen these flowers as grand in size and 
as varied in color, and probably none had ever seen them in such 
numbers. Primroses will not stay long behind, some fine Orchids 
will be in flower and a gorgeous array of Tulips and Narcissus will 
soon follow, lasting well into the month of 



104 

February, when the Cinerarias will makctheir grand debut, 
as they did this year. Geraniums, too, in variety of size and color 
seldom seen before, may plead a chance to be admired. Ixias and 
Sparaxis will lend further variety, while lovely Freesias will take 
care that sweet fragrance is not missing. 

March, is the time for Easter Lilies and Azalias ; whoever 
saw this elegant combination this year will not want to miss them in 
any future year. Hyacinths will be there too ; Genistas will 
mingle their gold with the masses of white .and pink and red, enhanc- 
ing those colors as a golden frame often does the pigments on an 
artists canvas. 

April will see Amaryllis in bloom and Lilies of various kinds 
arrayed more gorgeously than Solomon in all his glory. These will 
probably fill one house while the other will be one immense bed of 
Calceolarias, those odd-shaped flowers of endless varieties of 
color. They will continue to bloom far into the month of 

May until crowded out by Rhododendrons and Hydrangias, 
both characterized by immense flower clusters, the ones of gorgeous 
tints like the Azalias, the others more delicate, also more lasting. 

June, the month of Roses, must be devoted mainly to this 
queen of flowers which will never lose its place in the hearts of men. 
Other displays may be more brilliant, more grand or more curious, 
but none will awaken more genuine admiration, more heartfelt joy 
than the sight of the beautiful roses. This flower seems more 
closely interwoven with our tender emotions than any other. 
Which flower has been honored most 

In song, in rhyme or prose ?• 
By poets, sages, lovers — say? 
Ah, 'tis the lovely Rose ! 

In the Aquatic department the Water Lilies will be in their 
fullest glory. 

July will see the elegant Gloxinias at their best;the Begon- 
ias will show that not only their foliage, but also their flowers are to 
be admired. 

August may surprise us with a glorious array of Fuchsias, 
their pendulous flowers glowing in all the colors from pure white to 
darkest purple. Tender and lovely Achimenes will make friends 
among many visitors who did not know the flower well enough to 
appreciate it as it deserves to be. Caladiums will form a proud and 
splendid background. These may last well into 



IQ5 

September, when Tyd^eas in their many hybrid forms and 
Gesneras will also make their appearance. 

October will be "gala" month for both Conservatories; the 
Chrysanthemum show, an annual event among the florists and 
flower loving public in nearly every large city, will become more in- 
teresting than ever on account of the rivalry between the two Con- 
servatories and our enterprising florists, who have for years paid 
much attention to the cultivation of the newest and best varieties and 
with excellent success. This exhibit will probably begin about the 
middle of October and last till the middle of 

November. Another set of flowering Begonias will be on 
hand by this time and various other plants in bloom will help to fill 
the show houses. 

December will gradually lead the way to the new year, the 
Cyclamens, being ready again, the Primroses starting, Orchids 
beginning to bloom freely and other plants which have been men- 
tioned under January. 

Of course the changing flowers do not keep exact time with the 
months. The different kinds as they appear in their rotation "dove- 
tail" into each other ; nor are those named above all that may be 
expected ; new and charming species will be added from time to 
time each one a new surprise to the hosts of visitors. 

A few remarks about each of the flowers mentioned may be of 
interest to the reader. 

Cyc'lamen persicum, the Persian Violet. From kyklos, cir- 
cular, referring to the spiral peduncle or probably to the round 
tuber. These beautiful plants are natives of Persia, they belong to 
the primrose family and should be, more appropriately called "Per- 
sian Primrose." Several smaller species grow quite abundantly in 
the mountainous parts of Europe ; they produce, close to the surface 
of the ground, bulb-like tubers which the pigs root up and munch 
with great satisfaction, hence the unpoetic name of "sow-bread," 
under which the plant is known in Europe. The Persian Cyclamen, 
the largest of the natural species, has been wonderfully improved by 
skillful cultivation, so that they are produced now remarkably large 
in size and many color varieties from pure white through all shades 
of pink to the deepest glowing crimson. The finest specimens are 
produced from the seed ; after the plant has bloomed once, it gener- 
ally deteriorates and the next season the flowers are found to be 
smaller. See illustration on opposite page. 



io6 

Prim'ula, Primrose. From primus, first, being among the 
first flowers that bloom in the spring. The English Cowslip (Prim- 
ula officinalis) and Oxlip (Primula elatior ) are primroses; the 
Germans called them " Schluesselblumen," meaning "key-flowers," 
because they open the gates of spring. 

Primula sinen'sis, the Chinese Primrose, is the one chiefly 
cultivated by florists on account of its profusion of flowers and its 
endless color varieties ; it is well adapted for such floral exhibits as 
are prepared in the Conservatories. But even a single plant is an 
object of beauty and a most graceful adornment of the flower stand 
at home. 

Tul'ipa, Tulip. The name is said to be derived from the 
Turkish, tulband, a turban. The Tulips belong to the Lily family 
and are natives of southern Europe, northern Africa, western and 
central Asia. There are many species and hundreds, probably 
thousands of varieties have been produced during the centuries that 
this plant has been cultivated. In the seventeenth century Tulips 
were an object of trade and of speculation and gambling, such as 
grain and oil are to-day. New varieties are produced from seeds 
taken from plants which have been hybridized. Hybridization is a 
process long ago known and practiced and to it we owe the color 
varieties of many cultivated plants. The following will explain the 
process: Suppose a white tulip is deprived of its stamens before they 
ripen their pollen and the pollen from the stame-i of a red tulip is 
dusted upon the stigma, thus fertilizing the ovules(the young seeds) 
of the white flower by means of the stamens of the red. The seeds, 
when matured and planted, will in all probability produce a flower 
with a mixture of white and red in their petals. The variety thus 
obtained is generally multiplied by means of the offsets which the 
bulb produces, for the seed of the variety will as a rule produce 
plants with a tendency to return to the simpler, one colored form. 

Narcissus. Who does not know the story of this youth who, 
in love with himself, stood at the water's edge to see his image in the 
well ; but as such love has little comfort in it, he wasted away until 
he was reduced to a flower, while lovely Echo, the poor nymph who 
loved him, pined away until nothing was left of her, but her voice, 
which still resides in the woods and which you have heard there, I 
suppose. The Narcissus plant is classed among the Amaryllis 
family, it inhabits the same countries as the Tulip and like that genus 
is produced in innumerable varieties. One of the best known 
species is 



toy 

Narcis'sus poet'icus, the Poet's flower, which grows wild in 
Europe ; 

Narcissus Jonquil la, one of the Jonquil's, and 

Narcissus pseudo=Narcissus, one of the Daffodils, may be 
mentioned as a characteristic representative of this large and hand- 
some host of flowers which my fair readers love so well because they 
are charming harbingers of spring. 

Cineraria cruenta, from cinerea, ash colored ; the name re- 
fers to the ashen appearance of the underside of the leives ; cruenta, 
purple-leaved. From this species, which is a native of the Canary 
Islands all the wonderful varieties exhibited in the Conservatories are 
derived ; it is a most wonderful plant for producing color varieties 
which range through all shades of blue to pure white, also merge 
into crimson and violet. The Cinerarias belong to the Composite 
or Sunflower f unily ; thus, what appears to be one flower to the unin- 
itiated is a whole cluster of flowers, the petal-like parts being ray 
flowers and those generally mistaken for stamens being disk flowers. 
German florists have done much to bring these plants to the present 
perfection. (See illustration on page ior.) 

Geranium, Crane's Bill ; from ger anion, the old Greek name 
used by Dioscorides and derived from geranos, a crane, which refers 
like the English name to the beak-like fruit of the plant. What 
could be said here about Geraniums that the reader does not know 
already ? That they belong to the most grateful flowers to grow in 
garden and house is certain ; they are so easy to raise and they 
brighten up the surroundings by their cheerful colors. What may 
be new to some is that most of our garden Geraniums are not 
Geraniums in the eyes of the botanists ; they call them Pelargonium, 
or Stork's Bill ; the principal difference between the two can 
be found in the shape of the petals ; in the Geraniums the corolla is 
regular, that is, the petals are alike in size and shape ; in the Pelar- 
gonias the flowers are irregular, some petals being larger than the 
others or differently marked. Geraniums are found wild in this 
country and in Europe, the handsomer species are mostly from 
Africa and the Canary Islands. Our own Geranium maculatum 
(spotted \ so plentifully found in the woods around Pittsburg is a 
rather handsome plant. The Pelargoniums are for the most part 
natives of the Cape of Good Hope, and it is a collection of these, 
in many varieties — velvety, glossy, hairy, dissected, ivy, fragrant- 



io8 

leaved, small and large-flowered, of every hue and tint between 
white and scarlet, to deep purple, that is promised for next spring. 

Pelargonium in'quinans, stained flowered, is the parent of 
most of the so called " Scarlet Geraniums " of our own gardens. 

Pelargonium zonal'e, the " Horseshoe Geranium " is also the 
parent of many cultivated varieties which vary from scarlet and crim- 
son through all shades of red to pure white. The leaves have gener- 
ally a dark mark resembling a horseshoe. 

Ixia ; this Greek name is used by Theophrastus for bird-lime 
and refers to the sticky juice of these plants ; they belong to the 
Iris family and are bulbous plants coming from South Africa. There 
are many pretty varieties, pink, flesh-colored, orange, yellowish- 
white to pure white, also striped and variegated. Ixia odorata is 
very fragrant. 

Sparaxis, from sparasso, to tear, so named on account of the 
lacerated appearance of the spathe which encloses the flower when 
in the bud. These exquisite little plants are closely related to Ixia, 
and are from the Cape of Good Hope. 

Freesia, the name is of unknown origin ; these pretty bulbous 
plants with grass-like leaves and white, exceedingly fragrant flowers 
are becoming more and more popular. They also belong to the Iris 
family. The species we meet in the Conservatories are : 

Freesia refracta, bent back, and 

Freesia refracta alba, pure white. They are all from the 
Cape of Good Hope. 

Azalea, the name of this well known genus is derived from 
azaleos, which means dry, arid, alluding to the nature of the region 
in which some of the finest species grow. The Azaleas belong to 
the Heath family which furnishes a number of beautiful and also 
some useful plants. The Mountain Laurel, the Sheep Laurel, the 
Arbutus, the Heather of Scotland and Ireland, the Alpenrose of the 
Alps, the Ericas and Epacris of Africa and others are prized 
for their flowers, the Huckleberry and Cranberry are valued for 
their fruit. The Azaleas used to be classed with the Rhododendrons, 
but there seems sufficient reason for placing them in different genera; 
the Azaleas have generally five stamens while the Rhododendrons 
have ten ; the Azaleas bloom at an earlier season. 



ro9 

There are few shrubs more popular in Pittsburg than Azaleas ; 
being generally hardy, of easy culture and blooming early and 
abundantly in Spring when flowers are most appreciated, they are 
planted by almost every fortunate owner of a garden where there is 
room for some shrubbery. 

Florists divide the Azaleas into two groups, one of them includes 
the Ghent or American Azaleas ; to these belong most of the hardy 
plants found in the gardens, several of them are from stock native 
in this country ; such as azalea arborescens, tree-like ; A. cal- 
endulacea, marigold-like, with red and orange flowers ; A. nudi- 
flora, naked flowered, known under the name of Mountain Honey- 
suckle ; A. speciosa, showy ; a. viscosa, clammy, and others are 
species found in the Allegheny mountains, but most of them have 
been greatly improved by the Florists of Ghent and other parts of 
Belgium. The other group are the Indian or Chinese Azaleas; 
these are evergreen varieties obtained from Azalia indica, which are 
cultivated in greenhouses and have a longer season for blooming. 
Other species of this group are : 

Azalea amoena, pleasing, and a. sinensis, Chinese. What 
rich varieties have been produced from these everyone knows who 
has been visiting Schenley Park Conservatory last March or Alle- 
gheny Conservatory in April. 

Rhododendrons shall be discussed right here because they are 
so closely related to the Azaleas. The meaning of the name is 
" Rose Tree " and a common English name for it is Rose- Bay. 
Rhododendrons are found in Europe, Asia and America, our own 
country possessing some of the finest species of hardy plants such as 
rhododendron maximum, the American Great Laurel, of our 
Alleghenies ; R. catawbiense, the Southern Laurel and R. 
CALIFornicum the California Laurel. German florists have taken 
hold of these and others and by hybridizing and other means, 
have produced a great number of charming varieties, such as filled 
the exhibition house of Schenley Park last May. Thus we import 
our own Azalias from Belgium and other Rhododendrons from 
Germany. But the American florists are not sleeping and the time 
probably is not far distant when they will lead the world in the culti- 
vation of the native species. Among the foreign Rhododendrons, 
of which there are many species, the most prominent are rhodo- 
dendron nuttallii, from India ; R. arboreum, tree-like from 
the Himalayas ; r. aucklandii ; R. edgeworthii, from Sikkim ; 



no 



R. jasminiflorum, jasmine-flowered, from Malacca ; r. javanicum; 
from Java; R. ponticum, from Asia Minor, is the species from 
which the most showy hybrids are raised. 



THE LILIES. 

Consider them, how they bloom ! There is no more proud, no 
more majestic flower ; the petals resplendent white or glowing red, or 
brilliantly striped and spotted and of the richest fragrance which is 
sometimes almost intoxicating. The first Lily of the season and 
certainly one of the choicest is 

Lillium Harrisii, the Easter Lily, because it expands its 
glorious white flowers about Easter time as if intended by nature to 
assist in the celebration of the resurrection of the Lord. It is also 
called Bermuda Lily because it is cultivated in those islands in 
enormous numbers ; though the plant is said to be originally a Jap- 
anese species. It is probably a variety of Lillium longiflorum the 
long-flowered, choice Lily, but it has marked characteristics of its 
own and is much easier to propagate. 

To the Lily family belong also the following : 

Hyacin'thus. Hyacinth, the ancient name used by Homer for 
the Iris. These well known and well loved flowers need no intro- 
duction ; they precede the Lilies and are among the first flowers 
that venture out after the winter. The numerous varieties are de- 
rived from 

Hyacinthus orientalis, the Eastern Hyacinth, which is a 
native of Syria, and the 

H. orientalis provencialis, the Provence Hyacinth which is 
found in Southern France, Switzerland and Italy. 

Agapan'thus umbellat'us, the African Lily; from agape, 
to love ; anthos, a flower ; umbellatus, the flowers forming an 
umbel. This and several other liliaceous flowers mentioned below 
can be found in Schenley Park Palm House ; it will attract atten- 
tion by its tropical aspect, having long narrow, but thickish leaves 
and a still longer flower stalk crowned with a large umbel of beautiful 
blue or white (variety alba) flowers. 

Anther'icum picturat'um, anthos, a flower ; kerkos, a hedge, 
in reference to the tall flower stem. This and the two following are 
from the Cape of Good Hope ; tall Lilies with Grass like leaves and 
slender flower- stalks. 



Ill 

A. vittat'ta, spotted. 

A. variegat'a, variegated ; the leaves being striped with white. 

Aspidis'tria lurida, aspidion, a little round shield ; probably 
so named on account of the little mushroom shaped stigma of the 
flower. From China. 

A. variegata. 

The last five are in the Allegheny Conservatory. 



AMARYLLIS FAMILY. 

Amaryllis. This flower is the namesake of Amaryllis, the 
country woman, mentioned by Theocritus and Virgil. With the 
handsome, large, lily-like flowers the reader is, no doubt, well 
acquainted. The principal species is 

A. Belladonna, the Belladonna Lily, which comes from the 
West Indies and from which several varieties have been produced ; 
the pale variety is 

A. Belladonna pallida. 

Many hybrids which figure in florists catalogues as Amaryllis 
belong to the genus Hippeastrum, 

Hippeas'trum reticul'atum, the Knight's Star. Hippies, a 
knight; asiron, a star ; reticulaium, netted. 

Pancrat'ium, pan, all ; kratys, potent ; it was once believed 
to have powerful medicinal purpDses. These lily -like flowers are 
white and fragrant and often have long and narrow perianth lobes 
which give them a peculiar appearance ; they are from the Mediter- 
ranean region, the Canary Islands and the West Indies. 

Imantophylium miniatum. Imas, a leather thong; phyl- 
lon, a leaf; miniatum, brick colored. This plant is distinguished 
by its thickish two-ranked leaves from which rise a fleshy flower- 
stalk bearing an umbel of very large, showy flowers of a bright 
orange-tinted vermillion. 

Doryan'thes Pal'meri, dori, a spear ; anthos, a flower ; the 
long flower- stem having been compared to the shaft of a spear. A 
very handsome plant of the Amaryllis order, having narrow, stiff 
and pointed leaves six feet long, growing in a tuft from the midst of 
which the long scape arises, bearing a large spike of red flowers. 
From Queensland. 

Euc'haris amazon ica, also named 



E. grandiflora, from eu, well ; and charts, grace ; so named 
on account of its exceeding gracefulness. The flower resembles 
somewhat a Narcissus, but it is much larger, sometimes four inches 
in width. From New Grenada. 

Crin'um amab'ile, from krinon, the Greek word for Lily; 
amabile, lovely. Another beautiful species having bright red, 
fragrant flowers of which sometimes twenty to thirty grow in one 
umbel. From Sumatra. , 

These compose the Amaryllis collection in Allegheny Conserva- 
tory. The Agaves and some other plants of the same order have 
been mentioned in a former chapter. 



Genista, this is the old Latin name for the plant ; from it the 
Plantagenets took their name having chosen "Planta Genista " as 
their emblem. This genus is distributed all over Europe, western 
Asia and northern Africa. The flowers are all yellow and butterfly- 
shaped, the plant belonging to the Pulse family to which the Pea, 
Bean, Locust and many other well known plants belong. Genista 
tinctoria, the Dyer's Greenweed, used to be largely cultivated for 
the preparation of a dye known under the name of Kendall Green. 

Cyt'isus canarien'sis, from the Canary islands, is the plant 
generally called Genista canariensis. 

Calceolaria, Slipperwort or Fisherman's Basket ; the Latin 
name is derived from calceohis, a little slipper ; according to some 
authorities, however, the name has been chosen in honor of F. Cal- 
ceolari, an Italian botanist of the sixteenth century. The plant be- 
longs to the Figwort family (Scrophulariaceae), to which the Mullen 
and Butter-and-Eggs of our meadows belong. The Calceolarias are 
South American plants, coming principally from Chile and Peru, but 
the beautiful hybrids which have been so much admired in the Con- 
servatories are mostly the product of the English florists art. There 
are shrubby and herbaceous Calceolarias, the latter being more 
commonly cultivated in our greenhouses. The innumerable hybrids 
are derived principally from 

Calceolaria amplexicaul'is, leaf clasping the stem. 

C. arachnoid'ea, cobwebby. 

C. corymbos'a flower-cluster being level. 

C. integrifol'ia, entire leaved. 

C. purpurea, purple. 

C. thyrsiflor'a, flower- cluster pyramid-like. 




Calceolaria, 

(Fisherman's Basket.) 

Schenley Park Conseivatory. 



IX 4 
Those who have visited the exquisite Calceolaria exhibit in 
Schenley Park Conservatory or the annual display of these flowers 
in Allegheny, need not be told what an odd freak of nature these 
flowers represent ; the corolla has a very short tube and two lips of 
which the upper one is rather small, the lower very large and baggy 
somewhat resembling a fisherman's creel ; the two stamens and the 
pistil are hidden in the upper lip. As there is nothing in nature with- 
out a design, or use, or reason, the question is a legitimate one : 
What is the purpose of this arrangement ? 

The author has not found yet a satisfactory answer. As the 
lower lip has much resemblance to the baggy lip of the Cypri- 
pedium, a similar purpose suggests itself; and it may be that the 
arrangement is a contrivance to entrap insects to insure cross-fertili- 
zation. The matter is still open for speculation and investigation. 

The most important feature which makes the Calceolarias 
so valuable to the florists is their susceptibility to hybridization and 
variation ; among thousands of plants exhibited there are often not 
two exactly alike in color and markings. The predominant color is 
yellow, but this ranges from the most delicate cream to the richest 
brown and red ; the markings may be simple dots, leopard spots, 
crescents, rings or innumerable other designs ; others are one 
colored or shaded from light to dark. 

Hydrangea, also called Hortensias ; the name is derived from 
hydor water ; and aggeios, a vessel ; the cup-shaped fruit having 
been compared to a water vase. These plants belong to the Sani- 
frage family and are related to the Goosberry, Currant and the Mock 
Orange of our gardens. The home of most of the cultivated species 
is China, Japan, the Himalaya mountains and Java, but our own 
native 

Hydrangia arbores'cens, tree-like, is also a rather handsome 
shrub and can, no doubt, be much improved by cultivation. 

H. hortensis, is the common garden Hydrangea. 

H. hortensis japon'ica, the Japanese Hydrangea, is the one 
with blue and white flowers. 

H. paniculat'a grandiflora, large flowered, panicled, is the 
handsome shrubby Hydrangea which blooms late in summer and in 
autumn. 



"5 

ROSES. 

There is a time in the destiny of every properly conditioned 
young man when he begins to cultivate the language of flowers ; 
much to the satisfaction of some young lady with estimable qualities. 
Now for the the enlightenment of that young man be it stated, that, 
to find the most eloquent words for his case in the vocabulary of 
said language, he must turn to the chapter on Roses. He will find 
there the interpreters for all the forms and moods of love. For pure 
and holy love the white rose is the matchless symbol, while the red 
portrays the burning passion, the yellow rose the pangs of jealousy, 
and for all gradations there are found the appropriate shades. And 
while the young man is trying to select what color will be most be- 
fitting his condition, he must not forget that the odor, too, is an im- 
portant factor. There is the beautiful but odorless, the faintly, the 
delicately fragrant, the deliciously, the exquisitely odorous to choose 
from. But mark, young man, among all the lovely, the glowing, 
fiery roses, there is no spotted rose and among all the various odors 
of this flower there is none intoxicating. From this fact draw your 
own moral. 

Rose fanciers have been trying long and hard to produce 
a black rose, but they find it difficult ; this flower does not take 
kindly to the sombre hues. The author saw the nearest approach to 
a black rose at a Rose Exhibition in Hamburg ; the flower was 
placed in the center of a wreath of fairest roses and looked dark 
indeed, still there seemed a secret fire in its petals and withal it ap- 
peared like a production of black art, uncanny, yet fascinating. The 
roses in their natural state have five petals and many stamens. 
The cultivated roses get their many petals at the expense of the 
stamens and in some specimens no stamens at all are left ; frequently 
stamens can be found in the transition state, being half petal, half 
stamen ; sometimes the calyx is found to consist of fully developed 
leaves instead of the ordinary sepals ; these and other peculiarities 
observed in the rose and other flowers, reveal an important fact 
which is now well established and it is this: Flowers are altered; 
branches modified for the purpose of producing fruit and seed. An 
ordinary br mch consists of stem and leaves; in the flower-branch 
the leaves are modified, forming sepals, petals, stamens, pistils, and 
they are placed in close whorls at the end of the stem (peduncle). 
Occasionally some of these parts revert to the simple form from 
which they were evolved, thus betraying their origin. 



ri6 

The genus Rosa, the old Latin name for the flower, belongs to 
the Rose family (Rosaceae), to which nearly all our fruit trees 
belong. 

But let us come to the rose exhibit. For purposes of making a 
large display, the dwarf roses, which are budded quite low near the 
ground, are the most convenient ; high stemmed roses are very fine 
but much harder to manage in a greenhouse. The roses which are 
so much admired at the Schenley Park Conservatory, just at this 
writing (June 1894), are all imported from Holland; the list 
is given below and contains many well known varieties, but also 
many new forms seen for the first time in Pittsburg ; next year, 
after having been transplanted into larger pots and having accom- 
commodated themselves to the new surroundings, the Roses will 
make even a grander show than this year. These exhibits should 
be made a study ; among the new varieties are many well marked 
with new characteristics and well worth close examination. You may 
make new and lasting friends among them. 

It would be a difficult task to find out the pedigrees of each of 
these varieties ; they are the result of the care and cunning of several 
generations of florists who make Rose " breeding " a specialty. 
Here is the list. 

DWARF ROSES. 

Magna Charta, rosy carmine. 

Ulrich Brunner, cherry red, very large. 

General Jacqueminot, crimson. 

Abel Carriere, dark crimson. 

Mme. Gabriel Luizet, delicate pale rose. 

Prince Camille de Rohan, velvety crimson. 

Gloire de Dijon, fawn with salmon. 

Mrs. John Laing, brilliant rosy pink. 

Baroness Rothschild, pale flesh. 

Paeonia, carmine. 

Gloire de Margottin, deep velvety crimson. 

John Veitch, vermilion. 

Elizabeth Vigneron, dark rose. 

Pius IX, cherry red. 

Perle Blanche, white. 

Anna de Diesbach, brilliant rosy pink 

Gcant des Battailes, vivid scarlet crimson. 



ii7 

Captain Christy, delicate rose. 

John Hopper, rose with crimson center. 

General Washington, crimson. 

Alfred Colomb, bright carmine. 

La France, lilac rose. 

Duke of Edinburgh, vermillion. 

Gloire Lyona : se, yellowish white. 

Paul Neyron, dark rose, very large. 

Duke of Teck, brilliant scarlet carmine. 

Marie Bauman, bright carmine. 

Charles Lamb, clear fiery red. 

Mabel Morrison, pure white. 

Heinrich Schultheis, rose. 

Auguste Mie, light glossy pink. 

Madame George Bruant, white. 

Fisher Holmes, velvety crimson. 

Merveille de Lyon, white. 

Marshall P. Wilder, bright carmine. 

Miss Bosanquet, delicate flesh. 

Zepherine Drouhin, carmine with purple. 

Countess of Oxford, bright carmine. 

Gloire Bourg de la Reine, scarlet red. 

Empress, white. 

Duke of Montpensier, carmine. 

Monsieur Boncenne, dark velvety crimson. 

Hippolyte Jamain, bright rose with carmine. 

Reine Marie de Henriette, crimson, fine bud. 

Chestnut Hybrid, crimson, fine climbers. 

Prince of Wales, silvery white. 

Lord Bacon, brilliant scarlet crimson. 

Mme. Victor Verdier, cherry red. 

Mme. Alfred Carrier, light rose, changing to wnite. 

Lady Mary Fits- William, delicate rose. 

White Baroness, pure white. 

Baron de Bonstettin, dark crimson. 

Princess Louise Victoria, delicate rose. 

Compte de Paris, Crimson. 

Jean Liabaud, dark crimson. 

Duke of Connaught, velvety crimson. 

Triomphe d'Angers, vivid purple with violet. 

Dr. Baillon, crimson. 

Elsie Bcelle, white, tinged with rose. 



n8 

Gloxinia. Professor Benjamin Peter Gloxin, a botanist of 
Colmar in Germany, has been greatly honored by his name being 
bestowed upon one of the most beautiful of garden flowers. The 
Gloxinias belong to the Gesnerwort family (Gesneraceae) and are all 
natives of tropical America. The beauty of the large, well shaped 
corolla richly and variously colored, is enhanced by the background 
of a rich velvety foliage. Exhibited in large masses they present a 
glorious picture, the large range of colors and the fine color combin- 
ations in single flowers being especially noticeable. To the botanist 
most of these cultivated varieties are known as Sinningias, named 
after Wilhelm Sinning, gardener to the University of Bonn, and 

Sinnin'gia specios'a, showy, is the species from which most of 
the beautiful varieties, known as Gloxinias, are derived from. 
Examine them closely, they deserve it. See whether among the 
many hundreds of specimens you can find two alike in combinations 
and markings ; observe also how prettily the stamens stick their 
heads together. Other plants of the same family may be mentioned 
right here, they will appear soon after the Gloxinias. 

Ges'nera, both the family and this genus have been named 
after the celebrated botanist Conrad Gesner of Zurich ; most 
of these plants are natives of Brazil, a few are from the northern 
part of South America. The plants grow from tubers ; the flowers 
have long, tubular corollas, and are of rich scarlet, vermillion, orange 
or yellow colors. 

Achimen'es belong to the same family ; the name comes from 
cheimaino, to suffer from cold, indicating that these plants are very 
tender ; their home is Mexico, Central America and the West 
Indies ; these plants have peculiar, scaly rootstalks and handsome 
flowers, the corolla forming a long, narrow tube opening into a wide 
and showy border. The varieties are too numerous to mention; 
the most prominent species are 

Achimenes coccin'ea, scarlet flowered and 

A. longiflor'a, long-flowered, which has violet flowers. 

Tydaea, named after Tydeus, a son of OZneus, king of Calydon, 
is a genus much resembling the one just discussed and the plants 
belonging to it are more generally known as Achimenes ; they are 
natives of tropical America ; probably the most distinct species is 

Tydaea amabilis, lovely ; a plant a ith hairy leaves and flowers, 
rose colored, with purplish dots. 



H9 

Fuch'sias, named after the German botanist of the sixteenth 
century, Leonard Fuchs ; to pronounce this plant Fook ' sia would 
therefore be more correct than Fu'shia. This exceedingly well 
known and popular genus belongs to the Evening Primrose family 
(Onagraceae) ; its home is Mexico, Central America and the west- 
ern coast of South America, where this plant has a shrubby and 
tree-like character. The species most commonly cultivated is 

Fuchsia macrostem'a, (having large stamens) in its several, 
distinct varieties, globosa (globose), Conica (conical), gracilis 
(graceful), pumila (dwarf) and riccartoni ; these are hardy 
Fuchsias ; among the species that will do well only with inside cul- 
ture are 

F. bolivian'a, from Bolivia. 

F. ful'gens, glowing, with scarlet flowers, two inches long. 

F. corymbiflor'a, flowers forming a corymb, that is standing 
all about the same level ; the flowers are long and narrow and form 
a dense cluster. 

F. cordifol'ia, heart- shape-lea\ed. 

F. serratifol'ia, saw-edge-leaved. 

F. microphyl'la, small-leaved. 

F. procum'bens, creeping ; this is one of the two species that 
have been found in New Zealand. 

F. splend'ens, splendid, a very showy species. From these 
and a few other species all the varieties have been produced which 
are known under many fancy names and which are the delight of 
millions of flower-loving people and the joy of the florist who finds 
a ready sale for these flowers. 

The story goes that the first Fuchsia was discovered by Father 
Plumer and dedicated to Leonard Fuchs about 200 years ago, but 
its introduction into England dates only 100 years back, when 
a sailor brought one of the plants to his wife at Hammersmith ; Mr. 
James Lee, a nurseryman, saw it in the window and recognizing at 
once a novel and beautiful flower, he bought it, not without some 
difficulties, carefully raised it, found it easy to propagate it from 
slips and in a few years was able to sell Fuchsias in large numbers. 



121 



BEGONIAS. 

The Begonias cannot be dismissed with a few remarks ; a 
large book would have to be written to name each variety and 
to give adequate praise to all those who deserve it ; but this book 
is already getting larger than the author intended ; therefore the 
Begonias must excuse if only a short article is devoted to them. 
They may recognize the author's high appreciation in the fact that 
he has devoted to them three full page illustrations, which are works 
of art as every one will concede. They are wonderful plants, the 
Begonias, and Monsieur Michael Begon, the Frenchman who not 
only loved flowers, but patronized florists and encouraged botanists, 
has been honored more than he imagined — nay, he has been immor- 
talized — by having his name bestowed upon this genus and upon the 
family (Begoniaceae) to which it belongs. Is there any other plant 
so characteristic in appearance and so profuse in variations ; not in 
variations of flowers only, and these are wonderful enough, but even 
more so in variations of the leaf. Though about this later on. 

The Begonias are found growing wild in all tropical moist 
countries, especially South America and India. The flowers are 
often showy and their colors range from white to deep red. There 
is no distinction between calyx and corolla ; the parts of the floral 
envelope (perianth) being all petal like and numbering from two to 
rive. Staminate and pistillate flowers are separate, but grow on the 
same plant ; the stamens are generally many in a bundle and often 
unite below in a tube ; the pistillate flowers are readily recognized 
by their three-winged ovary and the three stigmas. The leaves are 
peculiarly unequal sided and have been compared with elephant's 
ears. 

Horticulturists divide the Begonias into tuberous-rootea, and 
shrubby. The tuberous rooted Begonias have been introduced from 
the Andes mountains, and from them, by means of careful selection 
and cross fertilization, many new varieties with magnificent flowers 
have been produced ; flowers measuring from four to six inches 
across not being rare. 

The types from which most of the varieties of Begonias w ; th 
tuberous root stalks are derived from are begonia veitchii, 

B. ROSAEFLORA and B. BOL1VIENSII. 




pq 



9 
io 



123 
BEGONIA LEAVES. 

(Shown on opposite page.) 
PLATE. I. 

Begonia Rex. 

Alice White. 

Anna Dorner. 

Pauline Rothschild. 

Argentea guttata, silver spotted. 

Mrs. Shepherd. 

Madame Lionett. 

Mirabunda. 

Madame Leboucq. 

Caroliniaefolia, one of the few species with compound 

leaves ; from Mexico. 
Albo picta, white painted ; a species from Brazil. 



The following is a list of the South American and M 
Begonias, that is, the tuberous rooted species and their 
which the author found in the Conservatories. 

Begonia albo-picta, white painted. 

B. argyrostigma picta, silver-spotted, painted. [a. 

B. carolinaefolia. 

B. coccinea, red. 

B. compta. 

B. conchaefolia. 

B. Gilsoni. 

B. glauca, covered with bloom. 

B. glaucophylla scandens, glaucous-leaved, climbing. 

B. incarnata superba, fleshy, superb. 

B. incarnata metallica, metallic. 

B. Ingramii. 

B. manicata, tunicated. [a. 

B. odorata, fragrant. 

B. olbia, rich. 

B. ricinifolia, Castor- Bean-leaved. 

B. rubra. 

B. sanguinea, bloody. 

B. scandens, climbing 

B. sceptrum, princely. 

B. Schmidtiana. [a. 



exican 
hybrids, 

[s.] 

& s.] 

[A.] 

[s.j 

[s.] 

.[s.] 

[A.] 

[s.] 
[s.] 

[A.] 

[A.] 

[s.] 
& s.] 

[A.] 
[A.] 
[S] 

[A-] 
[S.] 
[S.] 

& s ] 



124 

B. semperflorens rosea. [s.] 

B. semperflorens gigantea. [a. & s.] 

B. Soundersi. [s.] 

B. Standishii. [s.] 

B. sub-peltata nigricans, nearly shield-shaped, dark. [s.] 
B. Thurstonii. [s.] 

B. Vernon. [s.] 

B. Weltoniensis alba. [a. & s .] 

The so-called shrubby Begonias are those which excel princi- 
pally in the size, form and wonderful design and color variations of 
the leaves. Whoever observes the Begonias, so profusely intro- 
duced among the rock work in Schenley Park Palm House, will con- 
cede that for decorative gardening they are simply unmatched. 
Let me advise you, fair reader, at your next visit to Schenley Park 
or Allegheny Conservatory, to step into the department for tropical 
plants and to examine closely the Begonia leaves ; if you do not 
draw inspiration from the infinite variety of design and exquisiteness 
of color blending, I shall be much disappointed. 

Begonia Rex, the Royal Begonia, introduced from Assam, 
is the species from which most of the ornamental-leaved varieties are 
derived. These varieties are legion ; most of them are named after 
some personage, famous in history, prominent in society or dear to 
the heart of the gardener who was so fortunate in producing a new 
variety worthy of being perpetuated. It is certainly an enviable, but 
well deserved privilege of the horticulturist to be permitted and able 
to immortalize his friends by giving his or her name to a beautiful 
plant which will be introduced into and admired by all the civilized 
world and will be handed down to future generations. The follow- 
ing is a list of Begonias from China, Japan and other parts of Asia 
and the East Indies ; they are the shrubby Begonias, most of them 
being derived from 

Begonia rex, the king. 

Alice White. 

Anna Dorner. Bettina Rothschild. 

Clementina. Comptess Erdody. 

Diadema. Dorothy. 

Duke of Veragua. Elegant. 

Evansiana. Feastii. 

Flora Hill. Greyhound. 

Indiana. Isabella Bellon. 



125 

Lady Slade. La France. 

Llewellyn. Louis Closson. 

Madame Leboucq. Madame Lionnet. 

Madame Luizet. Madame Montet. 

Madame Treyve. Marguerite. 

McBethy. M. de Lesseps. 

M, Paraert. M. E. W. Scripps. 

Mrs. Shepherd. Mirabunda. 

Nickle Plate. Pauline Rothschild. 

Perle Hunfeldt. President Carnot. 

Richmond Beauty. Smaragdina. 

Sterling. Souvenir de Joseph Main. 

Sutherlandi. Ville de Neully. 

Whittier. Wyoming. 

These can all be found in Schenley Park Conservatory. 

The group of Begonias on page 1 20 gives a fair idea of the 
variety and decorative effect of these plants, while in Plate I. and II. 
characteristic leaf forms are represented. 



BEGONIA LEAVES. 

PLATE II. (SEE NEXT PAGE.) 



I. 


Flora Hill. 


2. 


M. Paraert. 


3- 


Louis Closson. 


4. 


Souvenir de Joseph Main. 


5- 


Nickle Plate. 


6. 


Smaragdina, a small but exquisite leaf. 


7- 


Lady Slade. 


8. 


Clementina. 


9- 


Diadema. 


10. 


Conchaefolia, shell-leaved. 


1 1. 


Feastii. 


12. 


Compta, adorned ; a Brazilian species. 



127 

CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

The " Golden Flower;" this is the meaning of the botanical 
name, being derived from the Greek chrysos, gold ; and anthemon, 
a flower. Some of the natural species are, indeed, of a golden 
yellow and all of them, when not changed by cultivation, have 
yellow disks. The Chrysanthemums belong like the Cinerarias 
to the Composite family, and what appears as a single flower to the 
uninitiated is really a collection of hundreds of flowers. Take one 
of our common Ox-eyed Daisies and examine it with a good magni- 
fying glass — you will find that the many yellow parts which compose 
the center or disk, and which look so much like stamens, are in re- 
ality little flowers, each with its tubular corolla, its five stamens 
grown into a tube around the pistil, the stigmas of which protrude at 
the top and what appears to be white petals are also flowers — the 
ray or strap-shaped flowers. This Daisy is nothing else but 
a Chrysanthemum, its botanical name being Chrysanthemum 
Leucanthkmum, white-flowered. 

But the Chrysanthemums which have become famous for their 
variety and beauty are imported from China and Japan, where they 
have been cultivated and improved for centuries. English gardeners 
have learned the trick of producing new varieties many years ago, and 
also American florists have gained a reputation in originating new 
and striking forms. Mr. Wm. Hamilton, of Allegheny Conserva- 
tory is the originator of several of them ; for the variety named by 
him Mrs. Andrew Carnegie, he received in 1888 the silver cup 
prize from the New York Horticultural Society, also a silver medal 
by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society ; for his seedling variety 
named Mrs. Henry Phipps, he was awarded a silver cup at the 
Pittsburg Exposition in 1892. 

The Chrysanthemums so much admired at the annual shows are 
nearly all derived from one species, 

Chrysan'themum sinen'se, Chinese ; the varieties are innumer- 
able ; they may be arranged into the following groups : 

The Incurved-flowered ; in these the petals are all strap- 
shaped and curved towards the center. 

The Quilled or Aster flowered ; in these the disk flowers 
are tubular, forming a convex, cushion-like head. 




CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

Allegheny Conservatory. 



129 

Pompone flowered ; small, but many heads ; the flowers re- 
flexed, also fringed or toothed at their tips. 

Large flowered Japanese, with long, loose, narrow and 
twisted petals. 

Quilled Japanese ; flower heads from 6 to 9 inches in diam- 
eter ; petals long, rolled up or tubular, with toothed tips. 

To write a list of all the varieties would be of little use ; from 
the preparations made in both Conservatories for the Chrysanthe- 
mum exhibit, a display of surpassing grandeur may safely be pre- 
dicted ; a fitting conclusion of the floral year. 

Chrysanthemum frutes'cens, shrubby, known as Paris 
Daisies. French Marguerites should be mentioned here ; they are 
popular greenhouse plants, bloom nearly all the year round and are 
also found in the Conservatories. 



VARIOUS OTHER FLOWERS. 

Among the various other flowering plants distributed in differ- 
ent departments of the Conservatories are the following : 

Muehlenbeck'ia rotundifolia, named after Dr. H. G. Mueh- 
lenbeck, a Swiss physician. [a.] 

Muehlenbeckia platyclad'a, also called 

Coccol'oba platyclada, from kokkos, a berry ; and lobos, a pod, 
in reference to the fruit ; platiclada, broad-branched. This 
peculiar plant is now frequently met with ; its branches are flat and 
green-like leaves, and there are often very few real leaves on the plant, 
as the stem is able to attend to the functions of the foliage, that is, 
take in carbonic acid gas from the air and from this and the crude 
sap absorbed by the roots, elaborate vegetable substance. These 
plants are from the Solomon islands and belong to the Knot- 
weed family (Polygoniacea). [a. & s.] 

Illicium anisat'um, the Anis-seed tree; from illicia, to 
entice, on account of the agreeable odor of the plant ; anisatum t 
anis-scented. The tree belongs to the Magnolia family and grows 
native in China and Japan ; it is held sacred by the Japanese who 
form wreaths of it with which to decorate the tombs of their 
deceased friends. The leaves are said to be poisonous. 

Camellia thei'fera, Tea plant ; named in honor of George 
Joseph Camellus or Kamel, a Moravian Jesuit and traveller in Asia, 
who wrote of the plants on the Isle of Luzon ; theifera, thea-bear- 



13° 
ing. Our most valuable gift from the Mongol race, furnishing the 
beverage which exhilirates but does not intoxicate, is not only an 
exceedingly useful, but also a handsome plant, well deserving culti- 
vation, though it cannot rival the beauty of its sister [s.] 

Camellia Japonica, the common Camellia, so delicate, so 
proud, so frigid. [a.] 

Abut'ilon vexillar'ium, Flowering Maple ; abutilon, is the 
Arabic name ; vexillarium, standard. A graceful shrub with 
drooping branches and bell-shaped flowers which have dark red 
sepals, pale yellow petals and brown stamens. The leaf slightly 
resembles a Maple leaf. From Rio Grande. 

A. Thomp'soni, has large, striated yellow flowers and mottled 
leaves. Besides these there are some of the varieties in the Con- 
servatories. The Abutilons belong to the Mallow family. 

Lin'um flav'um, Yellow Flax. Linum, is the old Greek name 
from which our word linen is derived. The common flax cultivated 
for its fibre is Linum usitatissimum ( most used) ; it has blue flowers, 
whereas the species named above has golden yellow blossoms. It 
is a native of Europe and belongs to the Linum family (Linaceae). 
Impat'iens Sultan'i, Sultan of Zanzibar's Balsam. This is one 
of the many species of Balsam or Touch-me-not, so called because 
of a peculiar arrangement of the seed pod which causes it to snap 
open and coil in a spiral when touched ever so lightly ; this is one 
of the many wonderful arrangements by. which plants scatter their 
seed. Two of the Touch-me-not's grow abundantly in moist shaded 
ravines around Pittsburg (Impatiens pallida and I. fulva, the pale 
and the tawny), The above named species is from Zanzibar and 
has handsome scarlet flowers with slender spurs. They belong to 
the Gi cranium family. [s.] 

Melia Azadirachta, Bead Tree. Melia, is the Greek name 
for ash ; the species name is probably an Indian name. The 
specimen at Schenley Park Conservatory is at present a small shrub ; 
it is called Bead Tree because its seeds have a natural perforation 
through the center and are used in Catholic countries for rosary 
beads. It is also called Arbor Sancta. It comes from the East 
Indies and belongs to the Melia family which is allied to the Geran- 
ium family. 

Euphor'bia splen'dens, Crown of Thorns. This genus is said 
to be named after Euphorbus, a physician to Juba, King of Maur- 
itania. There are many species, growing in various climes ; many 



I3i 

of them have medicinal properties, mainly purgative, hence the com- 
mon name of Spurge. E. Splendens is one of the most interesting, 
its stem is full of prickles and often twisted and coiled ; sometimes it 
is entirely bare of leaves but studded with small blood-red flowers ; 
hence the name " Crown of Thorns " is well chosen. Its home is 
the island of Bourbon. [a. & s.] 

Euphorbia pulcher'rima, pretty, has large vermillion bracts 
under the rather small yellow flowers. Also named Poinsettia pul- 
cherima. From Mexico. [a.] 

Acalyph'a musa'ica, Nettle Spurge. Acalypha, is the name 
given by Hippocrates to the Nettle ; ?nusaica, mosaic. A plant 
belonging, like the above, to the Spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) 
and resembling a Nettle in appearance. Its bronzy green leaves, 
variegated with orange and dull red make it an attractive plant. 
From Polynesia. [a.] 

Acalypha marginat'a, has large very hairy leaves, brown 
in the center and with a rose-colored margin. From the Fiji 
islands. [a.] 

Acalypha Macafeean'a, nas reu leaves blotched with bronzy 
crimson. [s.] 

Aral'ia Guilfoyl'ei. This plant of the Ginseng family (Aralia- 
ceae) comes from the South Sea Islands ; like many other plants of 
this genus it is valued by gardeners on account of its graceful pin- 
nately compound leaves. [a.] 

Pan'ax Victoria, Queen Victoria's Ginseng. The genus name 
is derived from partakes, a panacea, the ancients believing that it 
was a remedy for all complaints. It also belongs to the Ginseng 
family and is largely cultivated on account of its graceful, much 
divided and prettily variegated leaves. [a. & s.] 

Eugenia triternat'a, Cambuy Fruit. Named in honor of Prince 
Eugen of Savoy, who possessed a botanical garden and did much to 
encourage the study of plants ; tritemata, three times four com- 
pound, the leaf having 81 leaflets. These plants belong to the 
Myrtle family ; the best known of the genus is Eugenia pimenta, 
which furnishes the Allspice. [a.] 

Centraden'iarosea, from kentros, a spur ; and aden, a gland, 
referring to the spur-like gland on the anthers. A plant with clus- 
ters of pink flowers, of the family Melastomaceae and native of 
Mexico. [a ] 



T32 

Saxi'fraga sarmentos'a, Old Man's Beard, Aaron's Beard, 
Creeping Sailor ; saxum, a rock ; frango, to break. Many plants 
of the Saxifrage family grow in rocky places, the roots penetrating 
and widening the fissures between the stones ; hence the name. 
Some authors believe, however, that the name indicates a supposed 
medicinal property of some plants of this genus. The many com- 
mon names of the plant show that it is widely known ; there are few 
plants prettier if growing in rockeries or in hanging baskets. They 
are natives of Japan. [s.] 

Acac'ia pubes'cens, Acacia. The name is believed to be derived 
from akaso, to sharpen, on account of the spines which many 
species possess ; pubescens, downy. The Acacias belong to the 
Pulse family (Leguminose) ; they are shrubs or trees and some ot 
the species are of great importance. Acacia arabica, a. vera, 
a. adansoni, a. verkk and others furnish the Gum Arabic ; they 
are natives of Arabia and northern Africa. Acacia catechu is the 
principal plant from which the drug Catechu is prepared. Other 
species furnish other important drugs, gums also tannin. All or 
them are characterized by their pinnately, compound leaves, with 
numerous small leaflets. The species principally cultivated are from 
Australia and New South Wales. The species named above has 
yellow flowers of delicious fragrance. Two or three tiny trees that 
were in bloom last March filled the whole show house in Schenley 
Park Conservatory with their exquisite odor. [s.] 

In'ga pulcher'rima, Fairest Inga. This is another plant of 
the Pulse family, a Mexican shrub with drooping heads of scarlet 
flowers and fine feathery compound leaves. [a.] 

Ardis'ia crenulat'a, ardis, a point ; this refers to the spear- 
pointed anthers ; crenulata, finely scalloped margins. This is one 
of many evergreen species of Ardisias which are cultivated for their 
handsome evergreen foliage ; it has reddish violet flowers but is still 
prettier when the bright coral-red berries are ripe. It is a native of 
Mexico and belongs to the Myrsina family. [a.] 

Ol'ea frag'rans, Fragrant Olive. A handsome shrub from 
Japan, belonging to the Olive family (Oleaceae) ; though it is more 
properly named Osmanthus fragrans, from osme, perfume ; and 
anthos, a flower. The yellow and white flowers are exceedingly- 
fragrant. The true Olive, Olea-Europea, deserves also cultivation in 
gardens ; it has the aspect of a silvery willow and is deliciously 
fragrant during blooming time. 



133 

Duran'ta Bumgart'ii, named in honor of Castor Durantes, a 
physician and botanist of the sixteenth century. It is an evergreen 
shrub with blue flowers, belonging to the Verbena family. 

Salvia splen'dens, Showy Sage. Salvia, is the old Latin 
name, from salveo, to save or heal. This is a well known cultivated 
sage with showy scarlet flower clusters. In Brazil a common native 
plant. [s.] 

Francis'cea confert'ii, better known to botanists under the 
name of 

Brunfelsia confertiflora, named after Otto Brunfels, first 
a Carthusian monk, afterwards, a physician ; confertiflora, dense 
flowered. One of the many interesting plants of the Figwort family 
(Scrophulariacea) with dense clusters of blue flowers; from Brazil. 

[A] 

Brunfelsia eximia, choice; has deep, purple flowers and is 
also from Brazil. [a.] 

Mi mu I us moschat'us, Musk. From mimno, an ape ; the 
the two-lipped flower having been compared with the face of an ape ; 
moschatus, musk. A well known and pretty little plant with 
clammy leaves and yellow flowers strongly musk scented. Made it- 
self easily at home among the rocks in the Palm house. Figwort 
family. [s.] 

Russel'lia jun'cea, named in honor of Alexander Russell, M. 
D., juncea, rush like. Another plant of the Figwort family with 
rush-like branches ; from Mexico. [a.] 

Torenia Fournier'i, named after Olef Toren, a Swedish 
clergyman, who discovered in Asia the first plants of this genus. 
Many specimens can be seen in Schenley Park Conservatory and 
their pretty two -lipped flowers with pale blue tube, lower lip and side 
lobes of dark velvety violet and an orange spot in the middle, should 
attract the attention of the visitor. From Cochin China. [s.] 

Torenia Bailloni, also called T. flava (yellow), has a flower 
with a brown tube and yellow lips. These, too, belong to the Fig- 
wort family and resemble the Monkey flower (Mimulus'. They are 
well adapted for floral baskets. [s.] 

Coffe'a arab'ica, Coffee tree. The name is taken from Coffee, 
a province of Narea, in Africa where the Coffee grows in abundance. 
The Coffee tree belongs to the Madder family (Rubiaceae) and the 
specimens in both Conservatories are not only interesting objects to 



134 
the visitors, among whom there are many who dearly love the 
infusion prepared from the roasted bean, but they are also attractive 
on account of their dark, shiny, evergreen leaves and their clusters of 
white, sweet-scented flowers. 

Garden'ia florida, Cape Jessamine, named in honor of Dr. 
Alexander, of Charlestown, South Carolina, a correspondent of 
Linnaeus. A well known shrub with fragrant white flowers, excel- 
lently suited for bouquets ; a native of China, belonging to the Mad- 
der family. [a.] 

Hoffman'ia Higgin'sia, named after Prof. G. F. Hoffmann in 
Goettingen. The shrub is also called Campylobotrys Higginsii; 
belongs, like the above, to the Madder family and is a native of tropi- 
cal America. [a.] 

Hebeclin ium ian'thenum, or 

Eupator'ium ianthenum. According to Pliny the name is de- 
rived from Mithridates Eupator, king of Pontus, who discovered one 
of the species to be an antidote against poison ; lanthinum, violet. 
A profusely flowering herb of the Composite family, with large 
clustered violet flowers and soft, large leaves ; frequently cultivated 
in greenhouses. The Boneset or Thoroughwort and several other 
medicinal plants belong to the Eupatoriums. [a.] 



BEDDING PLANTS. 

Some houses in both Conservatories are occupied in winter with 
plants which are set out during the summer, furnishing the 
material for the much admired decorative flower beds. The more 
showy of them, such as the Cannas, Geraniums and others have 
already been discussed ; the smaller, but not less important plants 
which are used to frame the larger groups with pretty borders, shall 
have at least a passing notice ; they are the curly 

Alternanther'as of the Amarant family which owe their name 
to the fact that the anthers are alternately barren. As the flower is 
quite inconspicuous, this feature would scarcely be discovered by 
any one but a botanist armed with his Coddington lens. 

Who does not know and who does not grow the 

Col'eus plants with their square stems and opposite leaves of 
most varied and richest colors ; the name again has reference to a 
feature of the flower not easily detected by the uninitiated in floral 



135 
anatomy ; the filaments of the stamens are grown together, forming 
a tube which surrounds the slender style like a sheath holds the 
sword ; the Greek for sheath is koleos, hence the name of the plant. 
It belongs to the Mint family (Labiatae). The form most largely 
used for bedding purposes is 

Coleus Verschaffelti, a variety of Coleus Blumii, which is a 
native of Java. 

Achyran'thes, a synonym for 

Iresin'e, eiros, wool, referring to the wooly aspect of some 
species. These have some of the aspect of Coleus though they be- 
long to the Amaranth family ; they are chosen on account of the 
deep glowing red colors of their leaves. 

I. Linden'ii, with deep vineous red stems and leafstalks and 

I. Herbstii, the leaves of which are two-lobed of the apeXj 
upper surface dark maroon, midrib and principal veins carmine ; 
these are the species most largely used. 

Centaur'ea, a very different plant from the one just mentioned > 
but its silvery or dusty whitish leaves form a beautiful contrast to the 
glowing colors of the Coleus. The name is derived from Kentaur- 
ion, the name of the plant which according to Ovid's fable cured 
Chiron, one of the Centauri. The Centaureas belong to the compo- 
site family. 

C. cineraria, ashen, and 

C. ragusina, from Ragusa, in Dalmatia, are the species mostly 
cultivated for bedding purposes, while 

C. cyanus, blue, the Corn Flower, so pretty and so abundant in 
the grainfields of Europe, belongs in the button hole of an unmarried 
man who ought to be married. 

Santolina, Lavender Cotton, is another composite plant from 
the Mediterranean region ; its name is said to be derived from San. 
totiia, a kind of wormwood, according to Pliny. The pretty little 
shrub used in the borders of some beds in front of Schenley Park 
Conservatory is no doubt Sentolina Chamaeryparissus incana ; 
but Santolina rasmarinifolia is also very well adapted for 
decorative bedding. 

Lobelia pum'ila magnifica. Magnificent Dwarf Lobelia, is 
one of the several varieties much used as carpet and border plant ; 
the name Lobelia commemorates Mathias de L'Obel, a botanist and 
physician to James I. 



136 

Nierembergia gracolis, named after John Nieremberg, a Jesuit 
who wrote a book on the marvels of nature. This is a graceful plant 
with pale blue bell-shaped flowers. At this writing there is a bed of 
these pretty flowers right near the entrance to the park near the 
bridge. 

Mesembryan'themum, Fig Marigold ; from mesembrya, mid- 
day ; and anthemum, a flower, so named because the flowers open 
only in bright sunlight. Who does not know these pretty little 
almost moss like plants with small but fleshy leaves? There is 
scarcely a flower box or hanging basket without them. They 
are mostly South African plants of the Fig Marigold family (Ficoi- 
daceae). 

Echever'ia, also called Cotyledon; the first name was given 
in honor of M. Echeveria, botanical draughtsman ; the other is de- 
rived from kotyle, a cavity, alluding to the hollow leaves of some 
species. They belong to the Houseleek family fCrassulaceae) and 
are characterized by their very thick fleshy leaves which grow in 
the form of rosettes. For horticultural sculpturing there is no more 
serviceable plant, the dense and rather slow equal growth makes it 
possible to execute designs which keep unchanged for a considerable 
time, while the different kinds of green of the leaves of different 
species or varieties, make it possible to the skillful gardener to 
give his picture the lights and shades which help so much to impart 
expression and animation. Visitors of the Allegheny Parks have ad- 
mired in former years the medallion reliefs which Mr. Hamilton had 
executed and which were made entirely from Echeverias. This year 
again the head of Lincoln and the emblems of the Grand Army of 
the Republic can be seen. The sight will no doubt gladden the 
hearts of the visiting veterans. A representation of Lincoln's head 
can be found on page 137. It is entirely made of Echeveria glauca 
and secunda, while Alternantheras furnish the colors for the other 
designs. There are also fine specimens of plant sculpturing in 
Highland Park. 



X cs 







MEMORANDA. 



Climbing Plants. 




Kneeling Venus Framed in 

Solatium Seaforthianum. 
Schenley Park Conservatory. 



Climbing Plants. 



The honest forest trees build up their structures carefully ; 
every year the roots are anchored more securely ; a new layer is 
added to the trunk, so that the expanding crown of branches may 
have a firm support, a secure foundation. 

There comes a nimble climbing plant ; it installs itself close to 
the stately trunk ; it sinks its grasping rootlets or tendrils into the 
cracks of the bark ; in one short season it has run up the height of 
the stem, in a few more it has reached the top of the crown and 
spread over all the branches, basking in the sunlight, drinking up 
the rain, enjoying all the advantages for which the poor tree has 
toiled a century and of which he is now, to a great extent, deprived. 
Often the honest host is sapped, strangled, suffocated, by his 
unbidden guest, who adorns now the ruin he has wrought, until the 
murdered giant crumbles into dust and his assassin creeps on along 
the ground in search of a new victim. This is one of the many scenes 
of strife in the iorest. 

Not all the climbing and twining plants elevate themselves at 
the expense of some unfortunate victim ; some make use of their 
peculiar powers, to climb cliffs and crags or to descend from rocky 
precipices, clothing with ornamental verdure the most inaccessible 
places. 

Man who presses everything into his service has also turned 
the faculties of those plants to good account ; how they are made to 
clothe the walls of our houses, to shade our verandas, and adorn our 
corridors, the reader well knows. 

In many respects climbing plants are an interesting study ; one 
of the most fascinating chapters of that study is the investigation of 
the various contrivances by means of which the plants can raise, at- 
tach and support themselves. To those interested in such re- 
searches the author would suggest to notice the manner in which the 
English Ivy fastens itself by means of little rootlets, the Virginia 
Creeper, the Boston Ivy (Ampelopsis Veitchii), the Grapevine, each 
of which supports itself by leaves, modified in a peculiar manner ; 



142 

the Clematis, Honeysuckle, Moon vine, even the Sweet Pea 
and Morning Glory are interesting objects of that study. In the 
Conservatories there ia a chance to observe the manner of climbing 
of many tropical plants. The passion vine should not be overlooked. 
There are some families of plants in which the habit of climbing is 
characteristic of all or most of the species, as in the Bindweed 
family (Convolvulaceae). The Grapevine family (Vitaceae), the 
Birthroot family (Aristolochiaceae) and others. But there are many 
other families in which only one or a few species have taken to 
climbing, as the Climbing Rose in the Rose family, the Lapageria in 
the Lily family, the Mikania in the Composite family and others 
which will be mentioned. Even among the Orchids, the Palms and 
the Ferns we find climbers. 

The following is a list of climbing and twining plants which may 
be seen at present in the Conservatories. 

Qlorios'a Superb'a. The name suggests a glorious flower 
which this interesting Lily indeed produces. A most peculiar 
feature in this plant are the tendril-like tips of the leaves by means 
of which the plant can climb and find support among the surround- 
ing vegetation. It is a native of tropical Asia and Africa. [s.] 

Lapager'ia ros'ea, named after Josephine Tascher de la Pagerie^ 
who became the wife of Napoleon I. and who was an ardent botanist. 
Few climbing plants are more graceful than the Lapagerias. They 
are especially adapted for training over corridors, as here the pen- 
dant, waxy flowers are seen to the best advantage. The species 
L. rosea has rich, rosy crimson flowers, produced in great abun- 
dance and remaining in full beauty for several months. They are 
natives of Chili. [s.] 

Lapageria rosea alba, has pure white flowers. [s.] 

Antig'onous lep'topus, anti, opposite ; gonia, an angle ; 
leptopus, slender stemmed. A fine climber from Mexico ; especially 
attractive in flowering time when it bears a profusion of flowers, each 
shaded from light to deep pink. Knotweed family. (Polygoniaceae). 

Bougainvillaea glab'ra. Named after the French navigator 
De Bougainville ; glabra, smooth. Few climbing plants are more 
gorgeous than these inhabitants of the Brazilian forests, The flowers 
are not conspicuous, but the bracts surrounding them are beauti- 
fully colored, being pale rose-tinted in the species named above 
while in 

B. specios'a, beautiful, they merge into rose-lilac. 



143 

» 
B. spectab'ilis, showy, is seldom seen in bloom. 

B. refulgens, shiny, has brilliant purple-mauve bracts, pro- 
duced in long, pendulous racemes. These plants belong to the 
Four o'clock family (Nictaginaceae). 

Ledenbergia rosea=aena, Climbing Poke. Named after Mr. 
Ledenberg ; rosea-cena, rosy bronzed. This is a South American 
plant of the Poke family (Phytolacaceae). The flowers are incon- 
spicuous, but the foliage is handsome, of a dark shining coppery 
green on the upper surface and bright, rosy violet color beneath. 

Aristoloch'ia grandiflora, Large-flowered Dutchman's Pipe. 
Aristos, best ; locheia, parturition, referring to supposed medicinal 
properties, hence also the common name Birthroot. The Dutch- 
man's Pipe needs no introduction ; its peculiar flower is always an 
object of curiosity ; as a climbing plant, shading a veranda or a cozy 
bower, few vines are better adapted ; the large heart shaped leaves 
arrange themselves like shingles and very effectually protect those 
behind them from the gaze of curious neighbors or passers-by. 
The species named above is not the only one with large flowers ; 
there is also 

A. gig'as giant, with large purple flowers, the tube inflated and 
contracted in the middle and with a wide border at the top ; this 
species is from Guatamala. [s.] 

A. elegans, is from Brazil and has very odd flowers. 

A. ridicu'la, ridiculous, also from Brazil, has immense flowers 
from 2> X A to A% inches in length ; the tube is almost doubled upon 
itself and the border has two long expansions named by somebody 
"Donkey's Ears." The coloring of the flowers and the tracery of 
the veins are also very peculiar. These are tropical vines and 
cannot be raised outside of the Conservatory. The most common 
and probably best hardy climber among the " Pipe Vines " is 
Aristolochia Sypho which is found in the Allegheny mountains. 
Birthroot family (Aristolochiaceae). 

Pip'er rotundifol'ia, Pepper vine. Piper, is the old name for 
pepper ; rohindifolia., round-leaved. The black pepper in our spice 
boxes is the fruit of Piper nigrum ; white pepper is the same with 
the outer shell removed. [s.] 

Paullin ia thalictrifolia. Named after Ch. Fr. Paulli, a 
Dutch Botanist ; thalictrifolia, Meadow-Rue-leaved. A beautiful 
evergreen climber with many times compound leaves and pale pink 
flowers ; from Rio de Janeiro. 



i 4 4 
Cis'sus dis'color, Painted Vine, kissos, Ivy, so called on 
account of its climbing habit; discolor, variously colored. This is 
certainly one of the most beautiful climbing plants ; its variegated 
leaves showing exceedingly fine color combinations ; it is from Java 
and belongs to the Grapevine family (Vitaceae). The visitor may 
see this plant, on passing from the Palm house in Schenley Park Con- 
servatory to the tropical house at the right, where there is, at least at 
present, a fine specimen at each side of the door. [s.] 

Passiflora, Passion flower. Missionaries who found this vine 
in South America gave it the now well known name, because they 
imagined to discover in the blossoms a representation of all the im- 
plements of crucifixion. The flower is certainly a strange and 
beautiful object. The passion vines are mostly American, some 
species being quite common in the South ; a few are found in Asia 
and Australia ; the Conservatories contain some of the finest 
specimens, as 

Passiflor'a arbor'ea, tree-like, from New Grenada. 

P. caerul'ea, blue-flowered ; the fragrant flowers last but one 
day. From it is derived the fine variety 

P. caerulea Constance Elliott, which has white flowers, [s.] 

P. prin'ceps, princely, with deep red or scarlet flowers ; from 
Brazil. [a. & s.] 

P. Pfor'tii. [a. & s.] 

Tacson'ia insig'nis, Tacso, the Peruvian name of one of the 
species ; insignis, remarkable. This plant also belongs to the 
Passiflorae and resembles the Passion vine. From Peru. [s.] 

T. exoniensis. [s] 

T. Van Volexem'ii, this is one of the finest species and 
has very showy scarlet flowers. From New Grenada. [s.] 

Swainson'ia galegifolia. Named in honor of Isaac Swainson 
a celebrated cultivator of plants. These plants of the Pulse family 
(Leguminosae) are exceedingly graceful, on account of their slender 
stems, finely divided leaves and delicate flowers. They are natives 
of Australia and will find a place soon among the most popular 
plants in the florist's show window. The above species has deep red 
flowers, while 



145 

S. Osborne, has pure white blossoms and there are other 
species and varieties representing all, or nearly all, the delicate tints 
which we find in the Sweet Pea, which the flower much resembles. 

[s.] 

Solanum, this is the old Latin name for the Nightshade ; the 
Nightshade family (Solanaceae) contains many very important 
plants ; some useful, as the Potatoe, Tomato, Egg plant ; some 
noxious as the Tobacco, Belladonna, Henbane, Stramonium and 
other poisonous plants. Many of the Solanums are climbers and the 
handsomest of these is certainly 

Solenum Seaforthian'um, which is represented in the frontis- 
piece to this chapter. This graceful climber, which clothes the wall 
of the office and forms an elegant frame for the "Kneeling Venus" is 
admired by every visitor ; it seems never to tire in sending out its 
cluster of handsome flowers. It is a native of the West Indies, [s.] 

S. jasminoid'es, Jasmine-like, has white flowers and comes 
from South America ; it is frequently met with in the greenhouses. 

[s.] 

S. Guatemaliensis, is a new species received by Mr. Hamil- 
ton for the Allegheny Conservatory ; also 

S. Species unknown, from New Holland ; the plant was exhibi- 
ted in Chicago as " Kangaroo Apple," it has white flowers much 
like those of the potatoe, and bears a rather large berry which 
is said to form a favorite food of the Kangaroos. Another plant 
which has the same common name is S. aviculare, which has 
blue flowers. [a.] 

Habrotham'nus el'egans, a synonym of 

Ces'trum elegans, kestron, the Greek name for another plant. 
This plant with purplish red flowers also belongs to the Nightshade 
family ; it comes from Mexico. [a.] 

Ipom'ea Horsfal'liae, Mrs. Horsefall's Bindweed. Ips, Bind- 
weed ; omoios, similar ; so called on account of the resemblance of 
these plants to the Bindweed or Morning Glory. The Bindweed 
family (Convolvulaceae) is one in which the habit of climbing 
and twining is a common characteristic ; to it belong our wild and 
cultivated Morning Glories, the Moon-vine, the Sweet Potatoe and 
other well known plants. The above named species is a fine ever- 
green twiner with hand-shaped leaves and rich, deep pink flowers; 
from the West Indies. [s.] 



146 
Cobaea scan'dens. Named after the Spanish botanist B. Cobo ; 
scandals, climbing. A very well known climbing plant, cultivated 
everywhere ; its popularity is due to its rapid growth and its beauti- 
ful bell-shaped flowers. It is a native of Mexico and belongs to the 
Phlox or Polemonium family. [s.] 

Hoy 'a carnos'a, Wax Flower. Named after Thomas Hoy, once 
gardener to the Duke of Northumberland ; carnosa, fleshy. This 
is another plant which needs no introduction to the reader. The 
Wax flower, with its shiny, evergreen leaves and its umbels of 
delicate flesh-colored flowers, which look indeed as if they were 
formed of wax, is grown in many a home. It belongs to the Milk- 
weed family ( Asclepiadaceae) and comes from Queensland. 

Physian'thus al'bens, White Bladder Flower. Physa, a 
bladder ; anthos, a flower ; albens^ white. This is a Brazilian 
climber belonging, like the above, to the Milkweed family. 

Stephanot'is floribun'da, Clustered Wax Flower, Madagascar 
Jasmine. Stephanos, a crown; out, otos, an ear, alluding to the 
auricles on the crown of the stamens ; fioribunda, bundle flowered. 
This is certainly one of the most elegant of climbing plants; at 
flowering time its large clusters of pure white flowers fill the Con- 
servatory with sweet fragrance. Belongs to the Milkweed family 
and comes from Madagascar. There is no objection to using a 
sprig of this lovely plant in the bridal wreath. 

Jasmin um grandiflorum, Large flowered Jasmine. One of 
the many cultivated Jasmines, a favorite outdoor plant in the tropi- 
cal and sub-tropical countries ; it has white flowers, reddish under- 
neath and grows wild in the Himalaya mountains. Belongs to the 
the Olive family. Although not exactly a climbing plant it is 
mentioned here because so many of the Jasmines are climbers, [s.] 

Jasmin um Sambac, Zamback or Arabian J ismine, has fra- 
grant white flowers ; it is a handsome twiner from the East Indies 
and blooms nearly all the year round. [a.] 

Allaman da grandiflor'a. Mr. Allamand of Leyden sent 
some seeds of a plant of this genus which he found in northern South 
America to Linnaeus who returned the compliment by naming the 
plant after him. This and 

A. Henderson'y, a variety of A. Cathartica, are beautiful 
climbing plants of the Dogbane family (Apocinacea). From South 
America. [s.] 



147 

Rhyncosperm'um, a synonym of 

Trachelosperm'um jasmonides, Trachelos, the neck; and 
sperma, a seed, referring to the prolongation of the termination of 
the seed ; jasminoides, Jasmine-like. This is a white flowered and 
very fragrant climber from Shanghai. [s.l 

Cleroden'dron Balfourianum, kleros, chance ; dendron, a 
tree ; so called, it is said, from the uncertainty of its medicinal quali- 
ties. No one who ever visited Allegheny Conservatory can have 
overlooked this splendid climbing plant which covers the whole wall 
at the entrance to the Palm house. There are also some fine plants 
in Schenley Park Conservatory. When in full profusion of its scar- 
let flowers with white calices it forms a gorgeous adornment of 
a wall. They are natives of Asia and the above is a variety of 

Clerodendron Thomson'ae, named after a Mrs. Thomson. 
The reader will be surprised to learn that this plant belongs to the 
Verbena family ( Verbenaceae). [a. & s.] 

Hexacen'tris mysorensis, a synonym for 

Thun'bergia mysoren 'sis (See page 70). A rather rapidly 
growing and spreading climbing plant with large purplish and 
yellow flowers ; from Mysore. Acanthus family. [s.j 

Bignonia venusta. Named after Abbe Bignon, librarian 
to Louis IV ; venusta, handsome. The Bignonias are grand South 
American climbing plants with immense yellow, orange, red, purple, 
also white flowers. In their native tropical forest where they can 
roam from tree to tree expanding their rich foliage and their 
gorgeous blossoms, they must present a glorious sight. B. venusta 
has funnel-shaped crimson flowers. [s.] 

Another splendid climber of the Bignonia family is 

Tec'oma rad'icans, Trumpet Creeper. From the Mexican 
name, Tecomaxochitl; radicans, rooting. Everybody knows this 
thrifty vine with bright red flowers ; it grows wild in the Alleghenies 
in the southern part of Pennsylvania and all through the mountain- 
ous districts of the South. [s.] 

T. grandiflora, large flowered, from Japan and China and 

T. jasminoides, Jasmine-like, from Australia, can also be found 
in Schenley Park Conservatory and should be inspected by 
the visitor. 



i 4 8 

Manet'tia bi'color, named after Xavier Manetti, Prefect of the 
Botanic Gardens at Florence, in the middle of the last century. 
This rather delicate climber has tubular flowers, bright scarlet 
below, golden yellow near the opening ; it belongs to the Madder 
family and has its home in the Organ mountains. [a. & s.] 

Mican'ia violac'ea, named after Prof. Joseph Mican, of Prague. 
One of the few climbing plants found in the Composite family ; 
it bears clusters of handsome violet flowers and hails from South 
America. [s.] 




Aquatic Plants. 



Aquatic Plants. 



Water has its vegetation as well as the land. The bottom of 
the sea in some parts is said to resemble a flower garden ; not only 
rendered so by the profusion of delicate and coarse seaweeds of rich 
and varied colors, but also on account of the flower-like animals, the 
sea anemones, the corals, moss animals, sea ferns and other phan- 
tastic creatures. Every pond, lake and river has its vegetable life 
and especially in the tropics this life is abundant and multiform. 
The aquatic departments in the Phipps Conservatories are well 
planned and well equipped and give facilites for the rearing of the 
rarest of aquatic plants. 

These ponds and reservoirs add quite a charm to the green- 
houses ; a quiet peace seems to rest upon the waters which even 
the little goldfish, playing between the floating foliage, do not disturb. 
An imaginative mind may dream strange dreams in these surround- 
ings. 

The genius of fancy may stealthily take possession of you ; the 
pond grows larger and larger, until before you lies a placid lake; its 
shores, with many a bend and nook, borders upon a scene of topic 
aspect ; this side is rendered dark by mighty trees hung with giant 
climbing plants, whose festoons dip down into the wave; yonder 
shore is lined by Papyrus, gracefully bending to see their plumaged 
heads reflected in the water ; again you spy large groups of Lotus 
flowers lifting the velvety shields well above the water, but raising 
higher still the globe-shaped flowers of delicate tint and perfume. 

Like floating islands appear the patches of Water Lilies, their 
circled leaves spread out upon the glassy surface ; their flowers so 
exceeding fair, of purest white or purple, rose or scarlet, dreamily 
looking at the starry sky, while the still air is saturated with 
delicious fragrance. The moon, peeping down between the tree tops, 
throws a trembling, glittering bridge across the water ; and there 

Glides a canoe 
With room for two — 
'Tis he and you. 

But now I must leave it to the fair reader to continue and com- 
plete the vision. 




Victoria Regia. 
Allegheny Conservatory. 



'53 
It is not long since it has been discovered that the Lotus flower 
and the pink and blue Water Lilies could be cultivated out doors in 
this country and since that time many a swamp and ugly pond in 
New Jersey and down through Maryland has been changed into an 
almost paradisical spot. But some of the tropical water plants in the 
Conservatories can only be raised when the utmost care is taken that 
a certain range of temperature of the water and the a'r is maintained. 

WATER LILIES. 

These lovely plants, which are by no means strangers to this 
clirre, as those who have visited any of the lakes of this State, but 
especially the lakes of northern New York and New England can 
attest, form a family of their own ; they are botanically quite 
separated from the other Lilies which have been discussed in the 
chapter on flowers. One of the most interesting features to the 
student of forms of plant organs, a study called Morphology, is the 
gradual merging of the petals into stamens. The acknowledged 
queen among the Water Lilies is the 

VICTORIA REGIA. 

A special large reservoir is reserved for this plant in each of the 
Conservatories. The temperature of water and air is most carefully 
regulated ; starting from the seed in spring, it can be held in a 
saucer; two months later its leaves cover the whole reservoir, some 
of the circular blades measuring more than 6 feet in diameter. Leaf 
after leaf is sent out in regular two-fifth ranking arrangement until 
the large reservoir becomes too small and the older leaves have to 
be constantly removed. During the most rapid stage of growth 
leaves add in 24 hours from 20 inches to 2 feet to their diameter. 

Nothing is more wonderful than these gigantic circular leaves 
with upturned edges. Its most interesting part is its venation ; this 
can only be seen when the leaf is turned upside down. From the 
center, where the petiole is fastened, strong cylindrical ribs, thickly 
beset with prickles, radiate in every direction, each rib dividing into 
two smaller ribs, and each of these subdividing in the same manner. 
Between these ribs are numerous cross partitions, forming compart- 
ments in which air seems to be held, for indeed the leaf layer proper 
is supported above the surface of the water. The petioles and the 
largest ribs are provided with two large air-ducts, fully one-eighth of 
an inch in diameter, and several smaller ones. 




Leaf of Victoria Regia, showing the venation on the under side ; to the 
right a group of Papyrus antiquorum ; at the left, in the background, 
leaves of Nelumbium speciosum (Lotus flower), Allegheny Conservatory. 



'55 

When once beginning to bloom it generally continues blooming 
for considerable time. The flowers measure abaut 1 2 inches in dia- 
meter ; they are pinkish when they open ; they become pure white and 
again change into a dark pink as they fide. The fruit is ripened 
under water ; it consists of a large globular berry, beset with prickles. 

The seed is rich in starch and forms an article of food in the 
home of the plant, Brazil. (Hence also the name "Water Maize"). 

Victoria Randi, the new Crimson Victoria, is a variety of 
recent introduction ; very similer to the Victoria Regia, except the 
vertical edges of the leaves are broader, forming a deeper 'tray' and 
the flowers, opening white, soon change to a deep crimson. 

Eury'ale fer'ox, Indian Water Lily. Euryale was one of the 
Gorgons, represented with fierce thorny locks ; ferox, fierce. This 
gorgeous plant was considered the noblest of the Water Lilies before 
the Victoria Regia was discovered ; its leaves resemble those of the 
the Victoria, but are not as large and do not form an upright rim. 
The under side of the leaves is dark purple and the veins as well as 
the leafstalk and the calyx are beset with sharp spines; this suggested 
the scientific name of the plant. It is a native of the East Indies. 

[s.] 

Nymphaea, Water Lily. The name is derived from nymphe, a 
water-nymph ; horticulturists sometimes distinguish between night- 
blooming and day-blooming Water Lilies, this distinction is here 
observed. 

The poet Moore in "Paradise and the Peri" hints at the habit of 
the day-blooming Water Lily, in the following lines : — 
Those Virgin lilies, all the night 
Bathing their beauties in the lake 
That they may rise more fresh and bright 
When their beloved sun 's awake. 
Among the night-blooming species the following may be found 
in the Conservatories : 

Nymphae'a lotus, Egyptian Lotus, the white Lotus of the Nile, 
has large white flowers with red-margined sepals and sharply 
toothed leaves ; the veins are quite prominent on the under side. 
This is the sacred Lotus of the ancient Egyptians, dedicated to Isis 
and is found engraved on very ancient coins. The plant grows 
abundantly in the plains of lower Egypt during the time the land is 
under water. Like the Victoria it is useful as well as beautiful; at 



156 

least the old Egyptians made use of it, drying and grinding the seeds 
and making bread of it ; also the roots which contain a great deal of 
starch were utilized as food. 

N. dentat'a, toothed ; is a variety of the above with very large 
blossoms, from 6 to 19 inches in diameter and with large toothed 
leaves ; from Sierra Leone. 

N. Devonien'sis, named after the Duke of Devonshire, has 
brilliant r^-se colored petals ; it is a hybrid between N. lotus and N. 
rubra; the flowers are raised a foot and more above the water. 

N. rubra, red, resembles the one just mentioned ; it is from the 
East Indies. 

The following are novelties from the establishment of Mr. Wm. 
Tricker of Clifton, N. J., who makes a specialty of raising aquatic 
plants ; he received several prizes at the Columbian Exposition : — 

Nymphae'a Columbian'a, deeper in the color of flower and 
leaf than N. Devoniensis. 

N. Deanian'a; a robust plant with large, deep-green, dentated 
foliage ; the under surface peculiarly blotched ; the flower is cup 
shaped, sepals deep rose pink, stamens red. 

N. delicatis'sina, most delicate ; has large handsome foliage 
of metallic luster and large flowers of a delicate pink. 

N. Tricker'ii, one of the most magnificent novelties ; the flowers 
are rose pink, suffused with white, becoming darker the second day; 
the leaves have a metallic reddish-green color. 

N. Sturtevan'tii, resembles the above in shape and color of 
flower, it is also a garden hybrid of American origin, with la-ge 
bright red flowers and brownish leaves of a metallic luster. It is 
derived from N. Devoniensis. 

Among the day flowering Water Lilies we find the following : 

Nympha^a Zanzibaren'si?, Zanzibar Water Lily. One of 
the most beautiful of all Water Lilies and exceedingly fragrant ; the 
flower is intense blue ; the anthers with a shade of violet ; sepals 
green outside, purple within. Several varieties are derived from 
this. 

N. Zanzibarensis azur'ea, azure blue ; several shades brighter 
than the above. 

N. Zanzibarensis ros'ea, has a deep rose flower. 



*57 

N. caerul'ea, also called N. stellata, has light blue petals very 
delicately scented. 

N. scutifol'ia, shield-leaved ; another blue flowering species ; 
the leaves are purplish tinted and spotted underneath. From the 
Cape of Good Hope. 

N. Mexican'a, has rich golden flowers ; native of New Mexico. 

N. el'egans, is also from New Mexico. The flower is white, 
tinged with purplish blue, fragrant ; stamens yellow, tipped with 
blue. 

N. gracilis, a graceful, slender plant with greenish white 
flowers ; also from Mexico. 

N. gigan'tea, has large blue flowers, seven inches across, with 
numerous, petals and a dense mass of golden yellow stamens. From 
Australia. 

The following are hardy species which stand our climate well. 

Nymphaea odorat'a, this is our American fragrant Water 
Lily especially abundant in lakes, ponds and marshes near the 
Atlantic coast. 

N. odorata Carolinan'a, one of the handsomest varieties of 
the above, having rose colored flowers. 

N. odorata gigan'tea, is a large flowered Southern varietv. 

N. odorata rosea, Cape Cod Water Lily ; this is the large pink 
Water Lily sold in the streets of New York, Philadelphia and other 
eastern places. 

N. odorata sulphure'a, has a yellow blossom as the name in- 
dicates ; though it is a shade lighter than sulphur. 

N. alba; English white Water Lily, has pure white flowers. 

N. alba candidis'sima; a large flowered beautiful variety of 
the above. 

N. Marliac'ea chromatella; this has clear yellow fragrant 
flowers with orange stamens, the young leaves are mottled with 
brown. 

N. Marliacea al'bida, white. 

N. Marliacea car'nea, fresh-tinted. 

N. Marliacea ros'ea, pink ; are interesting French hybrids. 
N. pygmae'a, dwarf: has white fragrant flowers and is a native 
of Central and Northern Asia. 



153 
N. Laydek'eri rosea, is a French form of the pygmaea type, in- 
teresting on account of the change of color the flower undergoes 
from opening to closing. 

Nelum'bium specios'um; Sacred Lotus of India; Nelumbium 
is the Cingalese name, speciosum, showy. This most handsome 
plant is now so largely cultivated in this country, that it is almost as 
well known here as in its home. 

The large circular, velvety leaves, poised upon stout petioles 
which reach 4 to 6 feet out of the water, present an elegant picture, 
and when the large, pink and cream colored, fragrant flowers appear 
above the mass of shields, the aspect is certainly handsome. We do 
not wonder that this plant has been an object of admiration and 
worship among the Egyptians, the people of India, China and Japan. 

Strange to say, this plant is no longer found growing wild in 
Egypt. That it must have grown there in ancient times is evident 
from the many representations of the flower and the leaf on Egyptian 
monuments and from the description of Herodotus, who compared the 
receptacle of the flower to a wasp's nest. Strabo and Theophrastus 
also mention the plant as a native of Egypt. In India, the spiral 
fibres with which the leafstalks abound are carefully extracted and 
used as wicks for the ever burning lamps in the temples. The fact 
that the leaves, plunged into water, will emerge dry, owing to the 
velvety down with which they are covered, gave rise to the Hindoo 
proverb, that the good and virtuous are like the Lotus leaf; they 
may be surrounded by the waters of temptation, but they remain 
undefiled. 

Nelumbium album grandiflorum, is a variety with large 
white flowers. 

N. roseum, is a deep pink colored variety. 

N. Kermesin'um, another variety of lighter color. 

All of the Water Lilies here recorded are grown in Schenley 
Park Conservatory and many of them also in Allegheny Con- 
servatory. 

Cabom'ba aquatica. Cabomba is the name given to the plant 
in Guiana. A small but interesting water plant with yellow, not 
very conspicuous flowers. The submerged leaves are opposite and 
hand shaped ; the floating leaves are alternate, shield-shaped and 
entire. [s.] 



159 

OTHER AQUATIC PLANTS. 



Eichhorn'ea Pontederia cras'sipes, Water Hyacinth. 

A most peculiar plant, constructed to float upon the water. 
The leaves have swollen, bulb-like stems which contain air and thus 
buoy up the whole plant. The cluster of handsome, light blue 
flowers has some resemblance with the inflorescence of the hyacinth, 
hence the popular name. The plant belongs to the Pickerel-weed 
family. (Pontederiaceae). [a.] 

E. azur'ea is a Brazilian species with lavender blue flowers, 
purple in the center and a bright yellow spot upon the blue, [s.] 

Limnoch'aris Humholdt'ii, Water Poppy; from limne, a 
marsh and c/iaris, beauty. 

The lovely yellow flower with dark stamens resembles that of 
the poppy. It belongs to the Water Plantain family and grows 
wild in Brazil. (Alismaceae). [a. & s.] 

Alis'ma plantag'o, Water Plantain. From alis, the Celtic 
word for water. Grows wild on the boarders of marshes and ponds 
and is attractive enough to deserve a place in the Lily pond in your 
garden. [a.] 

Sagittari'a montevidien'sis. Giant Arrowhead ; from sagitta, 
an arrow, so named on account of the shape of the leaf. Some of 
the arrowheads grow also wild in this country. The above is a large 
species with white petals, each of which has a crimson spot at the 
base. Belongs to Water Plantain family and is from South 
America. [a.] 

Aponogeit'on distachyon. Cape Pond Weed. Apon like 
Alis is from Celtic and according to several authorities means water ; 
geitons, neighbor; distachion, two-spiked. The flowers of this 
water plant are very odd, being arranged in two spreading spikes 
bearing pure white bracts, while the stamens are dark-brown. Be- 
longs to the Family Naiadaceae and is from the Cape of Good 
Hope. [a.] 

Myriophyl'lum proserpinacoid es, Parrots Feather ; Water 
Millfoil. From myrius, myriad; and phy lion, a leaf. This delicate 
feathery, water plant spreads so rapidly that, if not checked in its 
career it soon fills up the whole basin in which it has been introduced; 
the visitor can easily recognize it by the yellowish-green color of its 
finely divided whorled leaves. [a. & s.] 



i6o 

Salvinia natans, Floating Salvinia. Named in honor of 
Antonio Maria Salvino ; Professor at Florence in the Seventeenth 
Century. Resembling the Duck -weed of our ponds; very small 
plants with round leaves, floating upon the surface of the water and 
spreading rapidly ; the little leaves are beset with peculiarly formed 
hairs which hold between them bubbles of air when the plant is 
pushed below the waters surface, which causes it immediately to 
rise again. [a.] 

All these plants as well as the hardy Water Lilies can be easily 
reared and a picturesque feature could be added to many a garden 
by establishing a pond or tank for the raising of some of these 
beautiful aquatics. 

RUSHES. 

Papyr'us (Cyper'us) antiquor'um, the Ancient Paper Plant 
This is a tall Sedge with a culm growing 8 or 10 feet in height and 
one inch in thickness, crowned with an umbel of flowering spicke- 
lets, subtended by a close spiral of long slender bracts. The Pap- 
yrus grows wild on the banks of the Nile and the Jordan, also 
in Italy ; the paper made from it has not been surpassed in excel- 
lence and durability by any paper manufactured in modern times 
The documents written on it have preserved for our time many most 
important facts of ancient history. This paper has been made 
by cutting the stems to the required length, splitting them open 
lengthwise and peeling off thin slices between the center and the out- 
side. These long slices were laid side by side, and after being 
watered and beaten with a wooden instrument, were pressed and 
dried in the sun. The Egyptians well recognized also the graceful 
beauty of the plant and used it profusely for the decoration of their 
temples. [a. & s.] 

Cyperus alternifol'ius, Alternate-leaved Rush. This Aus- 
tralian species resembles the former, but is smaller. There is also a 
variegated kind which has the stems and leaves striped with white. 

[a. & s.] 

Cyper'us Natalensis, a species from Natal. [a.] 

Isolep'is gracilis, the garden name for 

Scir'pus ripar'ius, Club Rush. Scirp-us is the old Latin name 
for a Rush ; riparius, riverside-loving. This rush is very popular 
for Conservatory decoration and is met with in every greenhouse. 

[a. & s.] 



THE CACTI. 




a 



Cacti. 

To seek protection by the trick of offering to the world a bristly 
exterior is not rare in nature. We find this contrivance in the 
hedgehog" and porcupine, in some fishes, in the sea urchins, in the 
Chestnut burs and other fruits, in the Rose branch, the Thistle, 
the Nettle, but most prominently we find it developed among 
the plants of the Cactus family. It might be said that the human 
family, too, has its bristly specimens ; individuals whom you can- 
not approach without getting stung or scratched. But behind the 
dangerous, threatening, spiteful exterior there is often a very harm- 
less creature, satisfied to be let alone and lacking the wit for 
using his weapons in an aggressive warfare. 

The Cacti may not be beautiful, but they are certainly odd and 
therefore they have their admirers. The raising of these plants has 
become quite a specialty in floriculture and there are florists 
who devote themselves exclusively to the raising of these plants. 
Many Cacti reward the care bestowed upon them by the production 
of brilliant flowers, put forth, sometimes, in great profusion ; in some 
the fruit is much more conspicuous and showy than the flower ; but 
even when neither flowers nor fruit are in season, these plants 
present points of great interest to the student of nature. These 
points are exceedingly sharp, sometimes quite small, sometimes 
long and stout. Look how they are placed upon the plant, generally 
in groups on the summit of tubercles, produced in somewhat regular 
arrangement upon the leaves, or along the edge of parallel, longitud- 
inal or spiral ridges upon the stem. In each group there are thorns 
of different lengths and thickness and pointing in different directions ; 
but there is a cunning and perfectly symmetrical design in this 
arrangement and it is repeated in each group of the same plant ; and 
if those groups are placed closely together, the thorns cross 
each other, forming a perfectly bewildering maze of bristling points, 
coming from and pointing to every direction, so that it is impossible 
to take hold of the creature in any manner. 

The author had an object lesson on Cacti once. Roaming over 
an island near the coast of Virginia, he found the first Cactus p'ants 
(Opuntia vulgaris; growing in their native state. Such a find is an 



164 

occasion for rejoicing for the botanist. The plants looked rather 
harmless and a few of them were carefully dug from their sandy bed 
and placed in the plant press, making rather cumbersome specimens. 
A few pricks caused by the larger thorns were not minded. But the 
following morning there was a tickling and burning sensation all 
over the hands and wrists, which was aggravated by rubbing and 
which lasted nearly for a week. Many small, almost invisible 
barbed prickles had penetrated the skin and caused an acute sensa- 
tion in the cutis. 

Two weeks later, having returned home, the plants were ex- 
amined and seemed not in the least changed, and for fully two 
months they kept fresh and growing, new joints forming at the ex- 
pense of the old ones which became soft and brownish and began to 
rot. 

This experience vanned the fact often stated, that Cactus plants 
have an exceedinly thick and dense epidermis which almost prevents 
the loss of water by evaporation, so that these plants can live through 
long periods of drought, affording refreshing food to the animals 
which are plucky enough to tap these springs of the desert with their 
hoofs. 

The Cacti are all nat'ves of the New World, occurring in large 
numbers and many forms in the northern parts of South America, 
all through Central America and Mexico, also in the Rocky Moun- 
tains a-:d in California. 

Who looks at the groups of Cacti in front of Schenley Park 
Conservatory (during the warm season), need not be told that these 
plants assume many groteque forms ; botanically they are divided 
into several genera according to certain characteristics of the flower 
which are in most cases connected with striking differences in the 
whole aspect of the plant. 

The group of Cactus plants on page 162 has been kindly 
arranged by Mr. Edmonds, foreman of Schenley Park Conservator 
while for the naming of the specimens the auther is indebted to Mr^j 
A. Blanc of A. Blanc & Co., in Philadelphia, who is an expert on 
Cacti and whose interesting little book "Hints on Cacti" every 
Cactus fancier can obtain for 10 cents. 

In mentioning the different species of Cacti, arranged in groups, 
which are found in Schenley Park, many of them also in Allegheny 
Conservatory, those which are represented in the illustration are 
numbered with the corresponding number. 



i6 5 

Cereus, Torch Thistle. From Cereus, pliant, in reference to 
the shoots of some species. From the picture can be seen that 
many tall, columnar forms are found in this group. They have 
woody stems with pithy inside, grooved and angled longitudinally, 
bearing clusters of spines at regular intervals upon the angles and 
producing large flowers, some of them of exceeding beauty. Several 
of the species are known under the name of Night-Blooming Cereus, 
but the most gorgeous of them is Cereus grandiflora, mentioned 
below. The flowers of the Cereus have a long tubular calyx, the 
lowest sepals being dark colored, awl-shaped to linear bracts, while 
farther up they change by degrees into flat, petal-like, light colored 
divisions, of which there are a great many ; the stamens are numerous 
with long, slender, curved filaments and the long style in the center 
ends in a star-shaped stigma. Do not fail to examine one of these 
wonderful flowers if ever you have a chance to get one. The home 
of the Cereus is South and Central America. 

Cer'eus gemmat'us, budding, (i) 
C. variabilis. (2) 
C. Jamacar'ii. (3) 
C. Peruvian'us. (4) 

C. grandiflor'us, Queen of the Night. (5) 

The flowers begin to open between seven and eight o'clock in 
the evening and are fully expanded by eleven ; by three or four 
o'clock in the morning they fade ; but during their short existance 
there is hardly any flower of greater beauty, or that makes a more 
magnificent appearance. The calyx of the flower, when open, is 
nearly one foot in diameter, the inside, being of a splendid yellow 
color, appears like the rays of a bright star ; the outside is of a dark 
brown. The petals, being of a pure white, contibute to the 
lustre ; the vast number of recurved stamens in the centre 
make a fine appearance. Add to all this the strong, sweet fragrance 
and there is scarcely any plant which so much deserves cultivation. 
(Nicholson). 

Cereus nichel'di. (6) 

C. Pasacan'a, from Mexico. (7) 

C. pugioniferus, having large and stout spines. (8) 

C. Dumortier'i. (9) 



1 66 

C. Bauman'ni, from Peru. 

C. Boxanen'sis, from Cuba. 

C. coccin'eus, red ; from Mexico. 

C. Donkelar'ii, from Brazil, where it grows among the Orchids. 

C. gigant'eus, a large columnar Cactus, from Mexico. 

C. Macdonal'diae, a handsome night-flowering species, from 
Honduras. 

C. macroglyph'a. 

C. Napoleon'is, from the Island of St. Helena. 

C. nigricans, dark. 

C. Olfer'sii, from Brazil. 

C. tuberos'us, has tubers which the Mexicans steep in alcohol 
to use the extract as a remedy against rheumatism ; strange to say, 
it is not used internally, but rubbed on the affected part. 

C. triangularis, has traingular stems, from Mexico. 

C. Havanen'sis cristat'a, a crested variety, from Havana. 

Echinocereus is closely allied to Cereus, but has short stems 
armed with sharp, formidable spines. 

Echinocereus eumeacan'thus (10) 

E. pectinat'us, combed, (n) 

E. viridiflor'a, green flowered. (12) 

E. chloran'thus, greenish. 

E. dasyacan'thus, densily-spined. 

Pilocereus. From pilos wool ; on account of the long white 
hair which resembles the hoary looks of an aged man. The best 
known species is 

Pilocer'eus senilis, Old Man Cactus. The resemblance of 
this Cactus to the top of an old man's head arrests the attention of 
many visitors. In Mexico, where this Cactus grows wild, it attains 
a height of 20 to 25 feet. (13) 

Echinop'sis Eyries'ii, from echinos, hedgehog and opszs. like ; 
a small Mexican Cactus producing large, fragrant flowers. 

Mammillar'ia, Nipple Cactus. The Cacti of this group con- 
sist of globular or cylinderical succulent, plants, whose surface is not 
cut up into ridges, but is covered with many nipple-like tubercles, 



1 6 7 

spirally arranged and ending in woolly cushions, from which bundles 
of spines emerge. The flowers are not large, generally purple, pink, 
white or yellow and issue from near the top of the plant. They are 
mostly Mexican species with a few from the West Indies and Brazil. 

Mammillaria applanat a, flattened. (14) 

M. bi'color, two colored. 

M. Bocassan'a. 

M. can'dida. (15) 

J*!, conoid'ea, cone-shaped. 

1*1. crassispin'a elegans, thick-spined. (16) 

n. elegans. (17) 

fl. fuscat'a. 

1*1. Graham'mii. 
1*1. Kramer'ii. (18) 

1*1. micromer'is, small-flowered. (19) 

1*1. minima, small. 

1*1. montan'a, growing on mountains. 

n. Nutal Hi. 

n. Odierian'a. 

1*1. pectinat'a, combed. 

n. pusil'Ia, small. (20.) 

1*1. rodan'tha, rose-flowered. 

n. spinos'sissima, very spiny. 

fl. tuberculos'a, tubercled. (21) 

Anhalonium, Spineless Cactus. This genus is closely related 
to Mammillaria ; it consists of a few species not often met with in 
Cactus collections. 

Anhalonium, fissurat'a, Living Rock. Looks indeed more 
like a fissured rock than a plant. 

A. prismat'icum, " Seven Stars." A rare Cactus of pearl 
gray color. (22) 

A. William'sii, Dumpling Cactus, might, from its peculiar 
shape, as well be named Cake Cactus. 

Echinocactus, Hedgehog Cactus. This genus comprises 
many species of various forms ; characteristic of all of them are the 



x-68 

stout spines often produced in great numbers, 50,000 of them being- 
found sometimes on a single plant. The spines of some species are 
used as toothpicks by the Mexicans. 

Ech'inocactus bi'color, two-colored. (23) 

E. capricorn'is, Goat's Horn Cactus. 

E. corniger'eus, horn-bearer. 

E. cylindrac'eus, cylindrical. ( 24) 

E. electracan'thus, Lightning Thorn. 

E. Em'ory. 

E. Engelmann'i. 

E. Gruson'ii. (25 ) 

E. heloph'orus. 

E. hexaedroph'orus, Hexagon Cactus. 

E. Lecon'tii. 

E. longihamat'a, long-hooked. I 26 

E. mul'tiplex, manifold. 

E. myriostig'ma, many-dotted. 

E. obvalat'us, fortified. 

E. Orcut'ti, peculiar on account of its twisted ridges. 

E. rhodophthal'amus. red-eyed. ( 27. ) 

E. saltillen'sis. 

E. Simpson'ii. 

E. Wisliczen'ii. 

Phyllocactus, Leaf Cactus. These Cacti, of which there are 
only a few species, grow upon trees; like the Orchids, and have fiat, 
leaf-like branches with notched margins. They have very handsome 
flowers, freely produced and are easily raised ; for this reason they 
are quite popular. 

Phyllocac'tus Ackerman'ni, King Cactus, is one of the hand- 
somest species with rich crimson flowers. 

Ph. latifrons, broad-stemmed ; has very -.arge, creamy-white 
flowers. 

Opuntia, Prickly Pear or Indian Fig Cactus, is a group of 
mostly North American species, quite distinct from those discussed 
thus far. They are fleshy shrubs with round, woody stems and 



169 

many branches, generally much jointed. The flowers are not 
always showy ; the fruit is pear or egg shaped, beset with prickles ; 
those of O. vulgaris and Tune are edible and wholesome. In 
Mexico some Opuntias are largely cultivated for the rearing of the 
Cochineal insect which yields the genuine Carmine dye. The name 
of the genus is an old Latin name used by Pliny and is said to be 
derived from the City of Opus. (28.) 

Opun'tia Dacuman'a elongat'a. 

O. Em'ory. 

O. Ficus Ind'ica, Indian Fig, from Mexico. 

O. Tuna, West Indies. 

Peres'kia, Barbados Gooseberry. From Nicolaus F. Peiresk of 
Air in the Provence, Senator and botanist. This genus is different 
from the others in having regular foliage leaves on the spiny 
branches, as seen in the illustration. (29.) 

Pelecyphor'a asellifor'mis, Hatchet Cactus. From peleky- 
phoros, hatchet bearing ; so called from a fancied resemblance of the 
tubercles to a hatchet ; aselliformis, woodlouse-like ; this refers to 
the rows of scales which have been compared to the scaly back of a 
woodlouse. 

Two plants not belonging here, but often found in Cactus 
collections on account of their resemblance to Cactus forms are 
mentioned here. 

Gasteria punctata, from gaster, belly, referring to the swollen 
base of the flowers. This genus is allied to the Aloes ; it has thick 
two-ranked leaves covered with many white scaly dots. From the 
Cape of Good Hope. 

Rochea falcata, named in honor of M. de la Roche, a French 
botanist. A small fleshy South African plant of the Houseleek 
family (Crassulaceae). 



R. C. PATTERSON. N. PATTERSON. 

Pattersqn Brothers, 

FINE FLOWERS, 

51 1 Market Street and 41 Sixth Avenue, 

PITTSBURGH, FENN'A. 




Grotto and Spring, Schenley Park Fern House. 



CURIOS. 




VnTS6vlRC\.' 



Pitcher Plant 
Nepenthes Rafflesiana 



Curios. 

Every plant, and be it the commonest, simplest weed, yields in- 
teresting and instructive facts to the student; but there are among 
plants, as among people, " odd fish," with quite peculiar ways of 
their own, which make them especially interesting. To some 
of these, grown in the Conservatories, the attention of the visitor is 
called here. 

PITCHER PLANTS. 

Look at the handsome pitcher on the opposite page ; if the 
illustration would give the natural colors, it would be light green, 
mottled with purple brown, a very pleasing combination. The 
pitcher grows from the apex of a leaf, connected with it by a long 
handle. The lid, which tightly closed the pitcher before the leaf had 
attained its full growth, now stands open and everybody is invited to 
drink. Such a cunning cup should offer a quite delicious beverage ; 
when the writer examined the pitcher, still attached to the plant, it 
was half filled with a clear liquid ; of course, it was at once tasted ; 
to the disappointment of the investigator it was found to be tepid, in- 
sipid, with just a slight tinge of sweetness. The writer does not think 
it will ever be a popular drink hereabouts ; but he hopes that 
to the insects, which are said to be attracted by a mysterious power 
to that fountain, it tastes like the very nectar of the gods, for it is the 
last drink these poor creatures get. In the Conservatory, insects do 
not get much encouragement; it is for this reason that there is sel- 
dom one found in the pitcher ; but in Madagascar and other 
islands of the Indian Ocean where these Pitcher plants grow wild, 
they are said to be often filled with flies, ants, beetles and bugs who, 
having quaffed the kind nepenthe, forgot forever their earthly 
troubles. 

Nepenthes, is the botanical name of the Pitcher plant and indi 
cates its supposed properties ; there are about thirty different species 
known, differing mainly in the size, shapes and coloring of the 
pitchers. The Conservatories possess at present the following : 

Nepen'thes Dominiana, a garden hybrid with deep green 
pitchers, slightly spotted. [a. & s.] 



174 
N. Craig'ii. [a. & s.] 

N. gracilis. [s.] 

N. Hamilton'ia. [a. & s.] 

N. Hook'eri. [s.] 

N. hybrida, has dark-green pitchers 8 inches long, winged and 

fringed in front. [s.] 

N. hybrida maculat'a, is a variety of the above with very long 

pitchers, streaked with reddish-purple upon a dark-green ground. 

N. intermed'ia, pitchers 6 inches long by 2? wide; swollen in 
the middle and having broad, fringed wings. [s.] 

N. Mastersian'a, has pitchers 4^ inches long, i}( inches 
wide ; deep claret red. [a. & s.] 

N. Morgan'iae, Mrs. Morgan's, has long flask-shaped pitchers, 
beautifully mottled with bright red and pale-green when young, 
getting blood-red when mature. [a. & s.] 

N. Rafflesian'a, named after Sir Stamford Raffles, has greenish- 
yellow pitchers with brown markings, very handsome. See illus- 
tration, [a. & s.] 

More interesting even than those Asiatic Pitcher Plants are our 
North American Pitcher Plants or Side-Saddle plants. Sarra- 
cenia, named after Dr. Sarrazin, of Quebec. These have various 
contrivances to allure the insect into the deadly cup, and 
others to make their exit impossible. They eminently deserve a 
place beside the Nepenthes and will no doubt get it as soon as good 
specimens can be procured. 

Dros'era rotundifol'ia, Sundew. From droseros, dewy ; 
rotu?idifolia, round-leaved. This plant is so tiny that it will be over- 
looked by many visitors ; it has been discovered by one of the As- 
sistants in unpacking plants which were wrapt in moss. It has a 
habit of growing between the soft swamp-moss (Sphagnum) and 
thus is quite likely to be found among the moss used for packing. 

The specimens were planted in a flower pot with some of the 
Sphagnum and are doing nicely. Their tiny round leaves, scarcely 
more than half an inch in diameter, are bristling with hairs, each one 
having a minute, clear droplet at the end. If a small fly alights 
upon the leaf, it soon discovers that these drops are sticky and in its 
efforts to get away, becomes more and more entangled in those hairs; 
moreover, the hairs of the parts of the leaf not in contact with the in- 



175 
sect, begin to bend over, approaching the poor creature and slowly, 
but surely enclosing and fastening it down on all sides. Here is the 
victim, entrapped, held fast as by an Octopus and doomed to be 
devoured or rather slowly digested. Darwin has made many and 
careful experiments with Drosera rotundifolia, and those who wish 
to know all about the tragedy, should read his book on Insectivorous 
Plants. 

Mimos'a pud'ica, Sensitive Plant. From mimos, a mimic ; 
picdica, chaste. 

A Sensitive-Plant in the garden grew, 

And the young winds fed it with silver dew 

And it opened its fan-like leaves to the light 

And closed them beneath the kisses of night. — Shelley. 

Not only beneath the kisses of night will it close, but also 
beneath your kisses, if the attendants would permit you to try the 
experiment; such is the bashfulness of this pretty plant. Touch the 
leaves ever so slightly and they will close up, each little pair clasping 
tightly together until the whole double row of leaflets is thus folded 
up. If the whole plant is brushed over with the hand, all the leaflets 
close up ; the four main divisions, of which each leaf is composed, 
draw near each other, the petiole droops down, the whole plant 
collapses. Does it possess nerves, capable of transmitting an out- 
side impulse and causing a reflex action in the leaves and branches? 
Many have hinted at the posibility of such being the case, not only 
an account of the actions of the Sensitive plant, but also of the be- 
haviour of the Venus Fly Trap and a number of other plants which 
act as if gifted with the sense of touch and even with will-power. 
But the closest microscopical examination has thus far failed to reveal 
any organs comparable to our nerves. Mimosa pudica is a native of 
tropical America; many other plants of the same family (Legumin- 
osae), also some Oxalis, share the property of being sensitive to 
touch, but in a less degree. [a. & s.] 

Desmod'ium gir'ans, The Telegraph Plant. From desmos, 
a band, alluding to the fact that the stamens are grown together by 
their filaments, an arrangement found, however, in many other 
flowers of the Pulse family (Leguminosae); gyrans, moving. The 
name Telegraph plant or Signal plant it owes to the following 
pecularity : — Each leaf consists of three leaflets, a large one, between 
two and three inches long and about one-fourth as broad, of illiptical 
shape, and two quite small leaflets., of the same shape and near the 



176 

base of the large one. These small leaflets move continually up and 
down, either with a gradual, almost insensible movement or in jerks; 
sometimes both leaflets are raised or both down, sometimes one is up 
the other down, somewhat in the manner of the signals (Semaphores) 
on the railroads. In these movements the tips of the leaflets des- 
cribe an elliptical orbit and it takes from half a minute to one minute 
and more to go through one rotation, the rate depending upon the 
temperature and other conditions of the atmosphere. The large 
leaflets do not go through this motion, but every evening they droop 
down as if going to sleep ; at sunrise they rise up again, taking an 
almost horizontal position. The plant is a native of the East Indies. 

M 

Pil'ea microphyl'la, Artillery or Pistol Plant. Pilos, a cap, 
from the shape of one of the parts of the perianth ; ?nicrophylla, 
small-leaved. This plant of the Nettle family (Urticaceae), will re- 
mind the reader of a Lycopodium. It is a rather insignificant, 
shrubby weed with inconspicuous flowers, but it has a peculiarity to 
which it owes its common name ; at blooming time the branchlets are 
covered with many little purplish buds ; when bright sunlight falls 
on these, one after another begins to open with a slight puff, dis- 
charging a cloudlet of dust. These little guns are the staminate 
flowers ; four stamens are coiled up in these, impatiently waiting for 
their liberation ; the rays, or the heat they carry, seem to unlock the 
calyx, the stamens uncurl with a jerk, pushing back the sepals and 
discharging the pollen into the air. It is a pretty sight to see this 
canonade going on, which is especially lively if the plants have been 
watered shortly before. After the battle is over, the branchlets are 
covered with tiny white crosses — the stamens with their emptied 
anthers. 

Marcgrav'ia paradox'a, the Shingle Plant. This plant seems 
determined to play the part of vegetable shingles, its leaves are round 
thickish, rather large, and they grow closely upon the rock, wall, 
trunk or whatever object forms their support ; besides, they overlap 
each other shingle fashion, so that they form a cover, perfectly im- 
penetrable, at least to rain. 

These are some of the curios which interest the scientists, puz- 
zle the people, and make thoughtful persons think. Various other 
plants, mentioned in former chapters, might find a place here. 



THE FERNS. 



Ferns. 



What makes Ferns so popular ? What is there to be admired 
in these plants, entirely devoid of showy or pretty blossoms ? No 
doubt it is the variety and beautiful symmetry of their patterns, the 
graceful manner in which their erect or drooping fronds are borne. 
A shady ravine, a rocky glen, filled with a profusion of Ferns, is it 
not a pleasure to look upon ? Did you ever notice how the 
bunches of Christmas Ferns, peeping out from almost every crack 
and crevice along the little stream in Panther Hollow add to make 
that winding valley so picturesque ? What could take the place of 
the ferns in airy bouquets or in your conservatory to form a soft and 
pleasing background to the flowers? 

Ferns are among the highest forms of the great series of flower- 
less plants, of which the mosses, liverworts, seaweeds and toad-stools, 
mould and mildew, yeast and bacteria belong. The botanist uses 
special terms for the different parts of a fern. The underground 
stem, from which most ferns grow from year to year is called a 
rhizome; the stalks growing from the rhizomes are stipes, they 
support the /ro?id, which answers to the leaf of other plants. The 
frond consists sometimes of one single, entire blade, as in the Nest- 
fern.; but more frequently it is composed of smaller blades called 
pinnae, meaning feathers; these may again be sub-divided into 
smaller leaflets called pinnuies. The veins of the ferns are peculiar 
and quite different from the parrallel or netted veins of the leaves of 
flowering plants; in most ferns the veins are forked, in some they 
form symmetrically arranged meshes with branching veinlets inside 
of them. 

^ The fruit in most ferns is produced on the under side of the 
fronds; it is disposed in clusters, either round, or oval, or narrow, near 
the middle or near the margin; these clusters are called sort, and they 
are often covered with a protective scale called indusium, which 
withers away as the fruit ripens. Your magnifying glass reveals the 
fact that the sori are heaps of peculiar brown, roundish bodies; these 
are the sporangia or spore cases which burst open when ripe, and 
discharge an exceedingly fine powder, the spores, which are the 



i8o 

seeds of ferns and other flowerless plants. Examined under a good 
microscope, the spores appear as pretty spherical or oval bodies, 
often with characteristic markings and resembling much the pollen 
which is discharged from the stamens of flowers. Unlike the seeds 
of the flowering plants, the spores contain no embryo, or little 
plantlet. 

The study of ferns is very fascinating, and it is not difficult at all 
to become acquainted with the names and peculiarities of our native 
ferns. If the fair reader, repeatedly appealed to, is interested in the 
study of nature, she should organize a "Fern Club" among her friends 
for the purpose of collecting and studying all the ferns which are 
growing wild in the neighborhood of Pittsburg and Allegheny. Gray's 
Manual of Botany and Robinson's "Ferns in their Homes and Ours" 
will give you all the help you need; and if you faithfully carry out 
your programme, you will derive more information and pleasure 
than you now imagine. 

Ferns are classified according to the peculiarities of their fruit- 
ing arrangements; the shape of the sori mentioned above, the place 
where they are attached, the presence and nature of the indusium 
and other points have to be observed in order to know to which 
group or genus a fern belongs. In giving the extensive list of ferns 
cultivated in the Conservatories, let us begin with the most popular 
and best known of all, the 

MAIDENHAIR FERNS. 

Adiantum is the latin name of this genus; it means ur, wetted, 
from the fact that its smooth foliage repels the rain drops. The Ad- 
iantums are exceedingly graceful on account of their multi-compound 
fronds, the pretty shape of the leaflets which are generally drooping, 
being borne on almost hair-like, shining stemlets, while the stipes are 
mostly dark and polished. The fruit dots or sori are formed at the 
outer margin of the pinnules, and the end of the scolloped edge is 
turned over, thus forming the protective indusium. Our native grow- 
ing Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum pedatum, is one of the prettiest 
species, and much cultivated in Europe; but the principal home of 
these ferns are the tropical countries and islands of the Pacific; there 
they abound in hundreds of different species. The pleasing fern 
group on page 178 represents about the middle of the foreground. 
Adiantum Farleyense, the Queen of the Maidenhair Ferns; it is a 
most fair queen with the softest of tresses. To the right below is 



i8i 

Adiantum gracillimum, the most graceful, with the tiniest of leaf- 
lets; above we see Adiantum cuneatum with wedge-shaped leaflets 
and other species. The following is the list of all the species of 
Maidenhair Fern grown at present at the Conservatories: 

Adian'tum Aneiten'se, from the Aneiteum Isles. [s.] 

A. Ballii. [s.] 

A. bel'lum, handsome; from Bermuda. [s.] 

A. ciliat'um, hairy. [s.] 

A. concin'um, neat; from tropical America. [a.] 

A. Craig'ii, [s.] 

A. cuneat'um, wedge-shaped; from Brazil. [a. & s.] 

A. cuneat'um grandiceps. [a. & s.] 

A. cuneatum variegatum [s] 

A. decor'um, decorous. [s.] 

A. Dreer'ii. [s.] 

A. Farleyens'e, a variety of A. tenerum, tender, [a. & s.] 
A. formos'um, beautiful; from Australia. [a. & s.] 

A. gracil'limum, most graceful; of garden origin, [a. & s.] 
A. Lathom'ii. [s ] 

A. macrophyllum, long-leaved; from tropical America, [s ] 
A. puesb'cens, down}-. [s.] 

A. Santas Catharinas, a variety of [a. & s.] 

A. trapezifor'me, rhomb-leaved; from the West Indies. 

[a. & s.] 
A. Victoria, named after Queen Victoria. [a. & s.] 

A. William'sii, this is one of the most beautiful species; of 
greenhouse origin. [a. & s.] 

EAGLE FERNS. 

Pteris is the name of an extensive genus, the best known species 
of which is certainly Pteris aquilina, the Eagle Fern, Brake or 
Bracken which grows so abundently in this country, in England and 
the European continent and in many other parts of the world. 

The heath this night must be my bed; 

The bracken curtain for my head; 
My lullaby the warders tread 

Far, far from love and thee, Mary. 

— Lady of the Lake. 



182 

The name Pteris is derived from pteron, a wing, to which the 
large and broad fronds of the Eagle Fern are compared. These 
ferns, instead of being soft and pliant like the Maidenhair Ferns, have 
generally rigid fronds, and the sori are continuous and follow the 
margins of the pinnae and their lobes. The examination of a few 
of the species named here will enable the fern student to recognize 
other Eagle Ferns at sight. 

Pter'is argyr'aea, silver-banded, is a form of P. quadriaurita, 
four-eared, with a band of white down the centre of the frond. 

[A.&S.] 

P. cret'ica, from Crete, has the frond divided into long and nar- 
row pinnae; grows wild in Florida and other semi-tropical countries. 

P. cret'ica albo=lineata, white-lined, is a variety often found 

in greenhouses. [a. & s.] 

P. hastat'a, halberd-shaped; from Africa. [s.] 

P. leptophylia, slender-leaved; from Brazil. [s.] 

P. longifol'ia, long-leaved; from the West Indies. [a.] 

P. Owrar'dii, a garden variety. [s.] 

P. palmat'a, hand- shaped; from tropical America. [a.] 

P. serulata, saw edged; from India. [a. & s.] 

From this fine species several varieties are derived, as: 

P. serulata cristata, crested. [a.] 

P. serulata magnifica. [s.] 

P. serulata nobilis. [s.] 

P. trem'ula, trembling; from Australia. [a. &. s.] 

P. trem'ula Smithiana. [s.] 

P. Veitchii, [a.] 

P. Victoria, [s.] 

P. Mayii, are garden varieties. [s.] 

TREE FERN5. 

There is probably no public Conservatory which boasts of 
a finer collection of Tree Ferns than Schenley Park Conservatory ; 
the domed pavilion devoted to it is one of the most charming, re- 
freshing and interesting parts of the great establishment ; it gives a 
very impressive picture of a fern forest. The tall tree ferns 
with mossy trunks are elegant specimens of 




1 KE1C FKK.NS. 

Dicksonia antarctica. 
Schenley Park Conservatory. 



1 84 

Dickson'ia antarc'tica, the genus is named after James Dick- 
son, a famous British botanist ; it contains about 30 species, half of 
which are tree-like ; one of the handsomest ferns of our woods, 
sometimes called Sweet Fern on account of the fragrance of the 
fronds, noticed especially when they are wilting, belongs to this 
genus (Dicksonia pilosiuscula). The sori are round and placed at 
the end of the veinlets, near, but not at the margins, and they are 
covered with either cup-shaped or two-valved indusiums. The species 
antactica, is a native of East Australia and Van Dieman's Land ; it 
attains a height of 30 to 35 feet, [a. & s.] 

The following are related to the Dicksonias : 

Cibot'ium (Dicksonia) Bar'ometz, a tree fern from China and 
the Malayan Peninsula. The name is derived from cibotion, a 
small box ; those who examine the indusiums of these ferns will 
readily understand what suggested this name. [s.] 

Cibotium regale, (Dicksonia regalis) from Mexico. The hand 
some fronds of this fern can be seen in the illustration on page 140. 

[s.] 

Cibotium (Dicksonia) Shied'ei, is also a Mexican species, 
growing to the height of 10 to 15 feet. [s.] 

Sitilobium cicutar'ium (Dicksonia cicutaria). From citos, 
wheat and lobos, a lobe, referring to the shape of the lobes 
of the fronds. Does not grow tree-like, but has a creeping rootstalk; 
native of Mexico and the West Indies. [a. & s.] 

Dennstaedtia (Dicksonia) davallioides, Davallia-like ; grows 
also from an underground stem and has fronds of thinner texture 
than the above. From Australia. [s.] 

D. Young'ii. [s.] 

Alsoph'ila australis, from alsos, a grove and philo, to love, in 
reference to the favorite location of these ferns. A very fine form of 
tree ferns from New Holland, of which there are numerous other 
species ; they are distinguished from the Dicksonias in having 
the sori either on a vein or in the forking of a vein and not being- 
provided with an indusiums. [a. & s.] 

Cyathe'a deal bat 'a, from ky at heron, a little cup, in reference 
to the appearance of the sori on the back of the fronds ; dealbata, 
whitened; the fronds being white on the underside; from New 
Zealand. This is also a representative of a genus of magnificent 



1 8 5 
tree ferns ; the sori are placed as in Alsophylla but covered by an 
indusium. [s.] 

Cyath'ea medullaris, pithy; from New Zealand. [s.] 

Tod'ea Barbara, named in honor of Henry Julius Tode of 
Mecklenburg. A handsome small tree-fern from Australia, [s.] 



Gleichen'ia longipinnat'a, named in honor of the German 
botanist Dr. W. F. Gleichen. A very graceful and peculiar fern, the 
fronds of which have a habit of repeatedly dividing into two forks 
and the pinnules of which are quite minute; there are some fine 
specimens in the fern house. [s/J 

G. Spelun'cae, Cavern Fern; and 
G. semivestit'a, half-clothed, are synonyms for 
G. circinat a, rolled up; from Australia. [s.} 

Da vail ia, this genus is named after E. Davall,a Swiss botanist ; 
it has generally very finely divided fronds and the sori are at or 
near the margin, the indusium is on the ends of the veins and open at 
the apex. 

Davallia affin'is, related; from Ceylon. [s.] 

D. bullat'a, blistered-leaved; from the East Indies. [a.'& s.] 
D. fijen'sis, from the Fiji Islands. 

Variety plumosa. [s.] 

Variety major. [a.] 

D. rioorean'a, a synonym of D. pallida; from Borneo. 

[a. & s.] 
D. par'vula, little; from Borneo. [s.] 

D. pectinat'a, combed; Polynesian Islands. [a.] 

D. Tyerman'ni, from the West Coast of Africa. [a. & s.] 
D. (Microlepis) hirta, hairy; from North India. [s.] 

The variety cristata has crested pinnae. [a. & s ] 

Hypolep'is repens, from hypo under, and lepis a scale; alluding 
to the covering of the sporangia: repens, creeping; from tropical 
America. [a.] 

Cheilan'thes hirta, Lip Fern. From cheilos lip, and anthos 
flower; the sori are close to the margin and are covered by the re- 
flexed edge of the lobes. Rather small ferns, generally very hairy; 
the above is from the Cape of Good Hope. [s.] 




Himalaya Hanging Fern (page 137) in the middle; below, Latania aurea 
(page 26) ; above, frond of Phoenix spinosa (page 34) ; to the right, Corypha 
australis (page 25) and Cycas revoluta (page 40). 

Schenley Park Conservatory. 



i8 7 

Onych'ium aurat'um, Irom onyx, onichos a claw, alluding to 
the shape of the lobes of the fronds; auratum golden; from Japan. 

[a. & s.] 

Lomar'ia gib'ba; from loma an edge; gibba gibbous. The sori 
in these ferns are long and narrow, occupying the space between the 
midrib and the margin; the indusium is formed by the edge of the 
frond being turned inward. From New Caledonia. [a. & s.] 

L. ( Stenochlaena) scandens, also named 

Acrostichum scandens, a climbing species from the Himalaya 
mountains. [a.] 

Blech'num Brazilien'sis, from blechnon, the Greek name of 
a fern. Resembles the Lomaria, having also the sori parallel with 
the midrib, but close to it and the indusium is separate from 
the edge of the frond. [s ] 

Woodwar'dia rad'icans, Chain Fern. Named after the Eng- 
lish botanist, Thomas Jenkinson Woodward; radicans rooting. The 
name of Chain Fern is suggested by the arrangement of the sori 
which run parallel and close to the midveins. From Europe, [s.] 



POLYPODY FERNS. 

These ferns have round sori not covered by an indusium ; the 
name is derived from polys, many and podion^ a little foot, on account 
of the appearance of the root-stalk and its appendages. One of 
the species, Polypodium vulgare, the common Polypody, is quite 
abundant on rocks in the Allegheny mountains. 

Polypod'ium aur'eum, golden, is found in Florida and the 
warm countries. [a.] 

Polypodium sporadocar'pum, spore fruited; is a variety of P 
aureum. [s.] 

P. Phymatod'es, from the East Indies and the Polynesian 
Islands, is largely cultivated. [s.] 

Polypodium (Goniophlebium) sub=auriculatum, the Him- 
alaya Hanging Fern. This most graceful Fern is shown in the 
illustration on page 186. 



1 88 
SPLEENWORTS. 
Asplenium, from a not, and splen spleen; at the time 
when old women and herb doctors were consulted principally in 
cases of sickness, the Spleenwort was thought to be a great remedy 
for certain complaints. There are several Spleenworts among our na- 
tive ferns; they are characterized by an elongated sorus, being cov- 
ered by an indusium which is attached to a vein and opens toward 
the midrib. 

Asplenium Belan'geri, from the Malay Peninsula, [a. & s.] 
A. bulbif'erum, bulb-bearing; having little bulbs upon the up- 
per part of the fronds from which new plants develop. From New 
Zealand. [s.] 

A. bulbif'erum Wollaston'ii. [s] 

A. formos'um, beautiful; from tropical America. [s.] 

A. (Thamnopteris) Nidus avis, Bird's Nest Fern. These 
are grand ferns with immense undivided fronds growing in a circle, 
the young unrolling fronds in the middle. Might form a convenient 
nest for a huge bird. Notice the long and narrow sori on the back 
of the fertile fronds, forming parallel lines closely together. The 
specimens in Schenley Park Fernhouse are especially fine. 

[a. & s.] 
Shield Ferns. These ferns have round sori covered with a 
round or kidney-shaped indusium; some of the most common ferns 
of our woods belong to this genus. Aspidium, from aspidion, a lit- 
tle buckle, is the name of the genus proper. 

Aspidium (Polystichum) angular'e, the Soft Shield Fern. 
A garden variety of A. aculeatum. [a.] 

Closely related are: 

Lastrea aristat'a, ( Nephrodium aristatum). From ncphros, 
a kidney, referring to the shape of the indusium ; aristatum, 
awned. From the Philippines. [a.] 

L. patens cristat'a, crested. [a.] 

L. crispum, curled. [a.] 

Sword Ferns. These are so called on account of the long 
and narrow fronds which characterize most of these ferns ; the pin- 
nae are so crowded that from the distance the frond looks like a 
sword -shaped leaf. The Latin name Nephrolepis, is derived from 
nephros, a kidney, and lepis, a scale, referring to the shape of the 
indusium. 




STAGHORN FERN, 

(See page 190) 
Schenley Park Fern House. 



190 

Nephrolep'is Davallioid'es fur'cans, Davallia-like and forked 1 ; 
the pinnae dividing in two and more parts at the apex. [a. & s.] 
N. Duffii, an elegant species from Duke of Yorks island. 

[A.] 

N. exaltat'a, lofty, grows wild in Florida ; very largely culti- 
vated, [a. & s.] 
N. pectinat'a, comb-like ; a variety of N. cordifolia. [s.] 
N. plum'a, feather ; from Madagascar. [s.J 
N. rufes'cens tripinnatifida, reddish, three-pinnatified. [a.] 
N. Zollingerian'a. [s.] 
Staghorn Fern. These ferns are exceedingly odd with their 
long and leathery fronds, looking like a forked tongue rather than 
like a stag or elk-horn. They are air plants and grow upon trees 
which they in time encircle with the large kidney -shaped scales from 
which the fronds grow. The fruit forms in large patches on the 
under side towards the apex of the fronds. The scientific name 
Platycerium, comes from platys, broad and keros, a horn. 

Platycer'ium alcicor'ne, elk-horn ; is the species of which the 
Schenley Park Fern house possesses so fine and valuable speci- 
mens. They are from temperate Australia. [s.] 



There remains still to be mentioned the Selaginellas, flower- 
less plants of the Lycopod family, allied to the ferns, but more moss- 
like in appearance. They are mostly from tropical America. 

Selaginella cses'ia, gray [a.] 

S. caes'ia arbor'ea, tree-like. [a.] 

S. caules'cens, stemmed. [a.] 

S. denticulat'a. small-toothed. [a. & s.], 

S. Emilian a. [s.] 

S. Kraussian'a aur'ea, golden. [s.] 

S. Poulteri. [s.} 



Closing Remarks. 




E. M. BlGtLOW, 

Director of Public Works. 

Pittsburg, Pa. 



The Parks. 



Cities owning fine parks are justly proud of them ; parks are 
blessings in more than one way ; they are fresh air reservoirs, the 
salubrious influence of which extends over a large area beyond the 
park limits ; they give opportunity for healthful outdoor exercise, 
so necessary for city people ; they are the childten's paradise, they 
are the Mecca for people with elegant turnouts as well as for 
the modest citizen and loving father who gives his family an outing, 
on Sunday, in his grocery wagon. Pittsburg has been fortunate in 
becoming possessor of park sites which in situation and natural ad- 
vantages cannot be easily matched. To make proper use of these ad- 
vantages, to blend nature and art so as to obtain the most favorable 
results, is the problem now on hand. That it will be well solved the 
citizens of Pittsburg are confident ; they know that the present chief 
of public works, Mr. Bigelow, whose well known features are repre- 
sented on the opposite page, has the ambition to make of smoky 
Pittsburg, a fair, a beautiful city and that especially the parks 
are near nis heart, and it will not be his fault, if they do not become 
equal to the most famous parks in the country. 

The people of Pittsburg greatly appreciate Mr. Bigelow's ener- 
getic efforts in behdf of the Parks and already there is a movement 
on foot to commemorate in a befitting manner the director's invalu- 
able services in creating out of a wilderness and presenting to the 
public, in so short a time, a royal pleasure ground for Pittsburg's in- 
habitants of all classes and all ages. 

Schenley Park covers 431 acres, 412 of which have been 
given to the city by Mrs. Schenley, and 19 acres have been bought. 
The natural relief of this large tract, its deep gulches, its undulating 
hills, its points of magnificent outlook, are great advantages for a 
park at the start. The improvements thus far accomplished are the 
completion of 6^2 miles of driving roads to which as many more 
miles will be added ; a lovely promenade through Panther Hollow, 
crossing many rustic bridges and leading through some picturesque 
spot at every turn ; other shaded walks have been projected, one of 
them leading near the carriage road so that the pedestrians may en- 
joy the sight of the great Corso. 



194 

The lake at the entrance to Panther Hollow is being deepened 
and widened, and the surrounding scenery will be greatly beautified; 
there will be pleasure boats in summer, skating in winter. A bridle 
path to Mt. Airy, and also walks to and through that region below 
the Race Tracks will open up an entirely new region; it will be made 
of easy access through a bridge of graceful structure thrown across 
Panther Hollow. The Zoo, too, will present in time a more digni- 
fied appearance ; the animals will receive quarters in keeping with 
their natural tastes, and their number and variety will be vastly in- 
creased. Lovely groves and shaded avenues will afford welcome pro- 
tection against the too energetic rays of the sun which now are 
scorching with impunity the bare hilltops, and those who venture 
upon them. Time and money are the only things needed to carry 
out these and other intended improvements. 

Highland Park, also, is unique in its location, covering an 
area of about 340 acres, surrounding the large reservoir with terraces- 
slopes, depressions with little lakes, elevations with most charming 
views up and down the Allegheny Valley, and other natural features 
which can be utilized to produce charming details. When the superb 
plan, designed by Mr. Berthold Frosch, Director Bigelow's landscape 
gardener and engineer, will be carried out, Highland Park will be a 
gem among the parks of the country, and a place which every Pitts- 
burger will take pride in showing his friends from abroad. 

Herron Hill Park, beautifying the surroundings of Herron 
Hill reservoir, the highest elevation in the county, is greatly enjoyed 
by the inhabitants of the densely populated quarters of the " Hill " 
district. 

Allegheny Park. Allegheny boasted of its park before 
Pittsburg ever dreamed of possessing such a luxury ; indeed it may 
be said that the park was there before the City of Allegheny existed. 
As early as 1787 about 100 acres of land, surrounding what was then 
the town of Allegheny, were given by act of Legislature as common 
pasture land to said town. In 1869 the commons became a public 
park. There is probably no other city in the country which has a 
park so situated that nearly every citizen has a piece of it at his very 
door or within a few minutes walk; and with its well patronized play- 
grounds, its umbrous promenades, its well kept flower beds, its pic- 
turesque lake and its fine monuments, it has an air of maturity, of 
matter of-fact existence, which the Pittsburg parks will not be able 
to assume for some time. 



195 

Riverside Park, Allegheny's most recent acquisition, is a. 
tract of 200 acres of wood and farm land stretching from Perrysville 
Avenue west towards Woods Run, forming mainly what used to be 
Watson's farm ; it was purchased by liberal spirited citizens and pre- 
sented to the City of Allegheny. The official presentation and ac- 
ception took place on the 4th of July, 1894 with appropriate cere- 
monies. The picturesque glen which forms the most attractive part 
of the tract, has long been a favorite picnic ground and an eldorado 
for botanists, who found there not only a great variety of native 
trees, but several species of herbs not found in other localities of this 
vicinity. Nature needs only a little assistance to make of this tract 
a very pleasant outing ground. The highest part of the park is a 
round knoll near the Perrysville avenue entrance ; from there the 
visitor enjoys a magnificent view of stretches of the Ohio river and 
its shores and of other parts of the surrounding country. This knoll 
will in all probability be the future site of the Allegheny Observ- 
atory ; plans are being prepared for the enlargement and re- 
fitting of this excellent institution, thanks to the munificence of a 
well known citizen who offered to pay the expenses. 

Superintendent Wm. Hamilton has the active support of Mr. 
Robert McAffee, Chief of Public Works in Allegheny, in all matters 
pertaining to the improvements of the parks, while Mayor Wm. M. 
Kennedy, himself a lover of nature and an experienced botanist, 
takes the deepest interest in the future of the parks, and gives valu- 
able suggestions. He proposes, among other things, to create in the 
new park an Arboretum in which all the native American trees and 
shrubs which can be made to grow in this climate, shall be repre- 
sented by one or several specimens and labeled so as to give informa- 
tion in regard to their name order, and use. No doubt the people of 
Pittsburg and Allegheny can look forward with great expectations to 
the future of their parks. 

PROPOSED EXTENSION OF SCHENLEY PARK 
CONSERVATORY. 

As may be seen from the sketch on the next page, an ex- 
tension to this large Conservatory is already proposed and recom- 
mended by its managers. It consists of the addition of three wings 
to the Conservatory Building proper and a number of houses of sim- 
pler construction. The new wings are to be used for the raising of 
specialties, such as Orchids, Cacti and other tropical plants which 



j 97 
need special attention, while the other buildings are to be the winter 
quarters for the many thousands of bedding and carpet plants which 
adorn the grounds during the summer season. This will enable 
Supt. Bennett to ''evote the whole of the main building to purposes 
of a Public Conservatory, and to give proper room to the many new 
additions which are continually arriving. The plans are, however, 
subject to considerable change, and their execution will mainly de- 
pend upon the time and measure in which the funds become avail- 
able for the purpose. 

BOTANICAL GARDENS. 

As soon as the promised labeling of all the plants in the Con- 
servatories will be carried out and completed, these institutions will 
fill to a great extent the pm poses of botanical gardens which form 
such a conspicuous educational feature in all large and many small 
European cities ; without such an arrangement, the purpose of this 
Guide will only be partly accomplished. It is, however, reported 
that Director Bigelowis contemplating plans tending to the establish- 
ment, at some future time, uf a botanical garden approaching the 
best institutions of a similar nature existing and comprising the 
prominent features of these, viz : 

The various plant forms and families represented by living and 
characteristic specimens systematically arranged. 

Groups of plants illustrating the character of vegetation in the 
various geographical plant regions. 

A section for the cultivation of all plants useful in the arts and 
industries, as well as the food and medicinal plants of the world. 

A botanical laboratory for the carrying on of investigation and 
experiments. 

The proximity of that grand institution, the Carnegie Library, 
now nearing its completion, will make it possible for anyone to get 
information on the subject from the world's literature on botany ; a 
most rare opportunity for the student ; but even without books the 
young people will learn more botany by observation and absorption 
in these botanical gardens, than they are able now to get in the 
schools. 

The Botanical Gardens will be one of the institutions that will 
mark Pittsburg in the future as a center of learning as it is now a 
center of manufacture and industry. 



198 
THE FLORISTS. 

The establishments of the florists of Pittsburg and Allegheny, 
some of them quite extensive, have always been open to the public ; 
they are conservatories on a smaller scale, though the variety of 
plants raised there is often quite large and the visitor has the advan- 
tage that he can buy and take home any specimen he desires. 

The opening of the Phipps Conservatories has not diminished 
the demand for flowers, but has materially increased it. This fact 
proves that these institutions greatly help to develop an interest in 
flower culture, a love for the beautiful. But the customers of the 
florists are becoming more discriminating in their choice and ask for 
many kinds of plants now which were never in demand before. 
Florists are obliged to make many additions to the lists of flowers in 
their stock ; enterprising as they are, they anticipate the public's 
more descending and exacting demands and the consequence is now 
a varied display of splendid novelties in the windows of their town 
stores, beautiful to look upon and far superior to what had been 
offered in former years. Thus the Conservatories have indirectly 
contributed to improve floriculture in these cities in quantity and 
quality. 

How intimately is the florist's business connected with our lives 
in joy and sorrow ! From birth until death, in all important events 
we celebrate, of public nature, in church or in the private family 
circle, he must assist with his floral treasures that the scene may be 
befitting the occasion. 

It is a beautiful calling, but an arduous one and one that re- 
quires experience, judgment, tact and taste. 

THE GUIDE. 

As the author's work upon this book is done and the composi- 
tors have wrestled with the Greek and Latin words and have been 
victorious, a few words may be said about the technical and artistic 
features of this book. 

The photographic views of plants and interiors in the Conserv- 
atories have all been taken by the author ; most of them have been 
engraved by the Fort Pitt Engraving Co., some by the Ander- 
son-Hotz Engraving Co. Many of them will be conceded to be 
works of art equal to the best work in this line done in the country. 



199 

A few of the pictures had appeared first in the American Florist 
and in the "Proceedings of the Academy of Science and Art in 
Pittsburg," illustrating a paper "A Walk Through Allegheny Con- 
servatory," read before said society by the writer of this guide. A 
few of the smaller illustrations were first published in the Pittsburg 
Bulletin. 

The typographical and press work was done in the establish- 
ment of Foster, Dick & Co. ; these gentlemen deserve the 
author's thanks for their pains taking work. This Guide is the first 
book printed on their new four-roller Campbell cylinder press. 

Thus this book throughout represents Pittsburg enterprise and 
it is herewith dedicated to the people of Pittsburg and Allegheny. 



CORRECTIONS. 



Page 20, line 7, Latania instead of Lantania. 

21, " 37, Macrozamia, " Zamia. 

31, " -25, pinnae " prinnae. 

54, Sanchezia " Sanchizia. 

54, Strobilanthus " Strabilanthus. 

54, Maranta " Marantha. 

81, last line, Dendrobium " Dendrobiom. 

82, line 33, corolla " calyx. 
91, " 21, verrucosa " vrerucosa. 

104, ■' 17, Hydrangea Hydrangia. 

131, " 36, Centradenia rosea. 

133, " 17, mimo " mimno. 

134, " 6, Dr. Alexander Garden, 

134. " 10, Hoffmannia instead of Hoffmania 

135, " 14, at the apex " of the apex. 
142, " 30, Antigonon, " Antigonous. 
151, " 19, tropic " topic. 
159, " 2, Eichhornea (Pontederia) crassipes. 
164, " 15, verified instead of varified. 

181, •' 19, pubescens " puebscens. 

182, " 20-24, serrulata " serulata 



Index 



Of the Generic and Common Names of the Plants 
Mentioned in the Guide. 



Aaron's Beard 132 Aspidium 1^8 

Abutilon i30 Avplenium 188 

Abyssinian Banana 20, 38 Astrocaryum 29,80 

Acacia 132 Attalea 30 

Acalypha 181 Azalia 104, 1US 

Acanthophoenix 29 B <l-am 130 

Acanthus 69 Bamboo 21, 44 

Achimenes 104, 118 Bambusa 44 

Achyranthes 135 Banana 21, 37, 59 

Acorus 58 Ra<keria 88 

Acrostichum 1*7 Bead Tree 130 

Ada 91 Beaucarnea 44 

Adiantum 178, 180 Bedding Plants 134 

vEchmea 67 Begonia 104,120, 120 

Aerides 9l Bignonia 147 

Agapanthus 110 Billbergia 60 

Agnve 43 Bird of Paradise Plant 39 

Aglaonema 58 Binhroot 143 

Air Plant 67 Blackburn's Sabal Palm 7 

Alisma 159 Blechnum 187 

Allamanda 146 Bleiia m 

Alocasia 57 Borassus 24 

Aloe 45 Bougainvillia, 142 

Alsophila 184 Bourbon Palms 26 

Alternanthera 134 Bowstring Hemp 47 

Amary lis 104, 111 Bracken 181 

Amomum 68 Brahea Glauca 24 

Ananassa 66 Brake 181 

Angraecum 91 Brassavola 8S 

Anguloa 82,91 Brassia I'l 

Anthericum 110 Broom Palm 27 

An thulium 54, 56 Brought on ia 88 

Antigonon 142 Brunfelsia 188 

Aponogetum 159 Burlingtonia 1 

Aquatic Plants 149-160 Cabbage Palm 20. 21, 29 

Araha 31 Cabomba 158 

Araucaria 20,42 Cacti 161169 

Ardisia 132 Caladium 54,57 

Areca 20,28,29 Calamus 30 

Arenga 29 Calanthe 91 

Aristoloehia 143 Calathea 61 

Arrowroot 61 Calceolaria 104, 112,113 

Artillery Pla-nt 176 Calla 55. 58 

Arum Family 55 Camrllia 129 

Arundo 44 Camphylobotrys 134 

Asparagus 64 Canna 60 

Aspidistria Ill Cape Jessamine 134 



201 

Cape Pond Weed 159 Cypripedium 82, 83, 96, 98,114 

Cap Orchid 94 Cyrtopodium 92 

Cardamom 68 C\tisus 112 

Carludovica 21, 36 Dae ty lis 65 

Caryota 20, 28, 30 Doemonorops 32 

Cata>etnm Ml Dasylmon 44 

Cattleya 82.85,86 Date Palm 20,21,33 

Cedrus 41 Davallia 185 

Centaurea 135 Dendrobium 81, 84, X7 

Centradenia 131 Denn-taedtia 184 

Century Plant 43 Deodar 41 

Cereus 165 Desmodium 175 

Ceroxylum 31 Dichorisandra 66 

Cestrum 145 Dickson ia 183, 184 

Chain Fern !87 Dieffenbachia 21,54, 55 

Chamaedorea 31 Doryanthes Ill 

Chamaerops 20,24,25 Dove Flower 94 

Cheilanthes 185 Dracaena 21, 45, 54. 63 

Chili Pine 41 Dragon's Blood 32 

Chysis 89 Dragon Tree 21,63 

Christmas Fern 179 Drosera 174 

Chrysenthemums 105, 127, 129 Dumb Cane 6 

Cibotium 184 Dumpling Cactus 107 

Cineraria 102, 104, 107 Diuanta 133 

Cissus 144 Dutchman's Pipe 143 

Cle-odendron 21,22,147 Eagle Fern 181 

Climbing Poke 143 Easter Lily 104 

Club Rush 160 Echevcria 136 

Cobaea 146 Echinocactus 167 

Coccoloba 20, 44, 129 Echinocereus 166 

Cochlioda 91 Echinopsis 166 

Cocks-Foot Grass 65 Eichhornea 159 

Cocoanut Palm 21.31,77 Elais Guineensis 23 

Cocos 31 Elephant's Ears 57 

Codiaeum 71,72 Elkhorn Fern 189 

Coelogyne 8> Epidendrum 81 

Coffee Tree 133 Eranthemum 70 

Coleus 134 Eucalyptus 45 

Co'ocasia 57 Eucharis Ill 

Conifers 40 Eugenia 131 

Coral Plant 67 Euonymus 45 

Corn Flower 135 Eupatorium 134 

Coryanthes 92 Euphorbia, 130 

Corypha 25 Euryale 155 

Costus 68 Fan Palms 20,24-27 

Cotyledon 136 Feather Palms 29-34 

Crane's Hill 107 Ferns 177 

Creeping Sailor 132 Ficus 21,46 

Crinum 112 Fig Marigold 136 

Croton 54,71-75 Fisherman's Basket 112 

Crown of Thorns 130 Fittonia 69 

Cupania 45 Flamingo Plant 57 

Curculigo 21, 69 Florida' Moss 67 

Curios 171-176 Flowering Maple 130 

Curmeria ;' 8 Flowers 101-136 

Cyanophyllum 71 Foliage Plants 55-75 

Cyathea 184 Fuchsia 104, 119 

Cycads 20, 21, 22, 40 Franciscea 133 

Cyclamen 99, 1031, 05 Freesia 104, 108 

Cymbidium 92 French Daisy 129 

Cyperus 160 Gardenia 134 



202 

Gasteria 169 

Gastonia 46 

Genista 104, 112 

Geonoma 32 

Geranium 104, 107 

Gesnera 105, 118 

Giant Arrowhead 159 

Ginger.. 68 

Ginseng 131 

Gleichenia 185 

Gloriosa 142 

Gloxinia 104, 118 

Goniophlebium 21, 187 

Goody era 95 

Grasses 65 

Grevillea 70 

Ground Ivy 71 

Ground Rattan Palm 27 

Gum Tree 45 

Gymn ost con 65 

Habrothamnus 145 

Hanging Fern 21 

Hatchet Cactus 169 

Hebeclinium 134 

Hedgehog Cactus 167 

Hedychium 69 

Hexacentris 147 

Hibiscus 47 

Himalaya Fern 186, 187 

Hippeastrum Ill 

Hoffman nia 134 

Hortensia 114 

Hoya 146 

Hyacinth 104, 110 

Hydrangea 104, 114 

Hypolepis 185 

Illicium 129 

Imantophyllum Ill 

Impatiens 130 

Indian Fig Cactus 168 

Indian Shot 60 

India Rubber Tree 46 

Inga 132 

Ipomea 145 

Iresine 135 

Isolepis 160 

Ixia, 104,108 

Jasminum 146 

Justicia 47 

Kangaroo Apple 145 

Karatus 68 

Kentia 32 

King Cactus 168 

Lady Slipper 82, 83, 96 

Lselia 82 

Lapageria 142 

Lastrea 188 

Latania 20, 26, 28 

Laurel 20,47 

Laurus 28, 47 

Lavender Cotton 135 



Leaf Cactus 168 

Ledenbergia 143 

l.emnocharis 159 

Licuala 26 

Lily 104, 110 

Li ma tod is 91 

Linum 130 

Lip Fern 185 

Little Coco 21 

Living Rock 167 

Livistonia 26 

Lobelia 135 

Lomaria 187 

Lotus 155, 158 

Lycaste 82, 87, 92 

Macrozamia 20, 21, 41, 42 

Maidenhair Fern 178-181 

Mammi laria 166 

Manettia 148 

Manilla Plantain 38 

Maranta 22, 54, 61 

Marcgravia 176 

Marguerite 129' 

Marsh Mallow 47 

Maitinezia 32 

Masdevallia 82. 89' 

Maxillaria 92 

Melia 130 

Mesembryanthemum 136 

Mesospinidium, 92 

Meyenia 70 

Micania 148 

Miltonia 92 

Mimosa 175 

Mimulus 133 

Moccasin Plant 83, 96 

Monkey Puzzle 20 

Monstera 20,21,47,58 

Mormodes 92 

Morning Glory 145 

Moth Orchid 94 

Muehlenbeckia 129 

Musa 38 

Musk 133 

Myriophyllum 159 

Narcissus 103, 106 

Nelumbium 158 

Neottia 95 

Nepenthes 172, 173 

Nepeta 71 

Nephrodium 188 

Nephrolepis 190 

Nerium 48 

Nettle Spurge 131 

New Zealand Flax 64 

Nidularium 68 

Nierembergia 136 

Night-blooming Cereus 165 

Nightshade 145 

Nipple Cactus 166 

Nymphoea 155- 



203 



Odontoglossum 92, 93 

Old Man Cactus 166 

Old Man's Beard 132 

Olea 132 

Oleander 48 

Olive 132 

Oncidium 82, 93 

Onychium 187 

Opuntia 168 

Oreodoxa 33 

Osmanthus 132 

Painted Vine 144 

Palmetto 27 

Palms 23-34 

Palmyra Palm 24 

Panax 131 

Pancratium Ill 

Pandanus 20, 21, 22, 35, 36 

Panicum , 65 

Paper Plant 160 

Papyius 160 

Parrot's Feather 159 

Passiflora 144 

Passion Flower 144 

Paul inia 143 

Pelargon i um 107 

Peleciphorii 169 

Penang Lawyers , 26 

Peperomia 70 

Pepper Vine 143 

Perexkia 169 

Peristeria 94 

Peristrophe 70 

Persian Violet 105 

Phaius 89 

Phcenicophorum 33 

Philodendron 20, 47, 58 

Phcenix 33, 34, 52 

Phorminum 64 

Phyllocactus 168 

Physianthus 146 

Pilea....... 176 

Pilocereus 166 

Pilumna 94 

Pineapple 66 

Piper 143 

Pistol Plant 176 

Pitcairnia 67 

Pitcher Plant 173 

Pittosporum 47 

Plantain 38 

Platycerium 190 

Platyclinis 90 

Poinsettia 131 

Polypodium 187 

Polystichum 188 

Pothos 56 

Prickly Pear 168 

Primrose 103, 106 

Primula 106 

Pritchardia 26 



Pteris 181, 182 

Ptychosperma 34 

Queen of the Night 165 

Rhapis 26 

Rhododendron ' 104,109 

Rattan 20, 27,30 

Rattle Snake Plantain 95 

Ravenala 39 

Khyncospermum 147 

Richardia 58 

Rochea falcata 169 

Rodriguezia 95 

Roses 104, 115-117 

Rubber Tree 21 

Ruellia 70 

Rushes 160 

Russellia 133 

Sabal , 21,27 

Saccolabium 95 

Sage 133 

Sago Palm 40 

Sagittaria 159 

Salvia 133 

Salvinia 160 

Sanchezia 54, 69 

Sanseviera 47 

Santolina 135 

Sarracenia 174 

Saxifraga 132 

Scripus 160 

Schismatoglottis 60 

Screw Pine 20, 21,35 

Scuticaria 95 

Seaforthia 21, 34 

Seaside Grape 44 

Sedge 160 

Selaginella 190 

Sensitive Plant 175 

Seven Stars 167 

Shield Fern 188 

Shield Plant 57 

Shingle Plant 176 

Silver Thatch Palm 20, 27 

Sinningia ll£ 

Sitilobium 184 

Slipper wort 112* 

Sobralea 95- 

Solanum 20, 140, 145 

Sophronitis 90- 

Sparaxis 104, 108 

Sphaerogyne 55, 71 

Spiderworts 65. 

Spindle Tree 45> 

Spleenwort 188. 

Spurge 131 

Staghorn Fern 190 

Stanhopea 95 

Stenochlaena 187 

Stephanotis 146 

Strelitzia 39 

Slrobilanthus 54,69, 



204 



Swain son ia 144 

Sweet Bay 20 

Sword Fern J8s 

Tacsonia 144 

Talipot Palm 95 

Tea Plant 129 

Teconia 147 

Telegraph Plant 175 

Thamnopteris 188 

Theophrasta 21 48 

Thunbergia 70, 147 

Thyrsacanthus 70 

Thrynax 27 

Tillandsia (37 

Todea. 185 

Torenia 133 

Touch-Me-Not 130 

Toxicophlsea 48 

Trachelospermum 147 

Traehy carpus 34 

Traveler's Tree 21, 39 

Tree Ferns 182,183 

Trumpet Creeper 147 



l nU P-: 103,106 

1 urtle back Plant 71 

Tydaea '.".".".'.'.105, 118 

V anda 80,90 

Vanilla 8 3, 95 

Verse haffeltia 34 

V'ctoria 152, 153, 155 

Vriesia 57 

Water Hyacinth 159 

Water Lily 104,' 153. 155 

Water Milfoil 159 

Water Plantain 159 

Water Poppy ]'[[' 159 

Wax Flower 145 

Wax Palm 31 

White Bladder Flowers 146 

WooHwardia 187 

Wandering Jew g5 

Yellow Flax ' 130 

Zamia 40 

Zingiber "' g 8 

Zygopetalum 95 



ESTABLISHED 1859. 



T. J. Vandergrift, Pres. 
A. M. Allen, Treasurer. 



INCORPORATED 1893 



W. F. Melhuisu, Gen'I Mgr. 



J. M. Bruce, Vice Pres. 
C. I. Wade, Secretary. 




WE MAKE A SPECIALTY OF FURNISHING 

The Finest Quality of Ice to Residences and 

Offices. 

Absolutely Pure Distilled and Filtered Water Furnished Druggists. Hospitals, 
Residences and Oltices. 



General Office, 

Cyclorama Building, 75 Irwin Ave., Allegheny. 

Telephone All'y 92. 



East End Office, 

Linden and Beecnwood Avenues Piitsbnrg. 

Telbphonb E. E. 130. 



^\-^ 




f£ 12 -the 3f^ 





r 




txod 



yVleeben/- 



Q 



G. P. O. Mar., '03. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



000 911 652 7 • 



I 



